Secrets
by darklight1601
Summary: What would you do to protect someone precious to you? What secrets would you keep? When Hinata becomes pregnant by a man she refuses to name, the last person she expected to help was her cold, older cousin. Neji/Hinata
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto there would be Byakuugan babies everywhere! So I guess it's not mine.

This is a Naruto fanfiction featuring the couple Neji/Hinata along with random other side couples. While I know in modern day this is considered incest, it was quite common throughout history for relatives to marry. Since Naruto-world is sort of an odd mix of modern and old, and the Hyuuga clan is an old clan with old traditions, I can see it being perfectly plausible for cousins to have a relationship within the clan, especially since they would want to keep the Byakuugan as pure as possible. Furthermore, most of the negative traits that are associated with incest (your baby's going to be retarded, etc.) aren't really scientifically based. The problem with incest is that if you have some nasty recessive genes that run in the family, they'll come out full force because both parents carry them. If you know for a fact that you don't have any recessive genes like this and you actually do have some good dominant ones that both parents share (like a kekkei genkai in Naruto-world), incest would actually be helpful. I know I didn't explain it very well, but there you have it.

The reason for this rant is that I'd seriously prefer that no one leaves me comments complaining of incest. Flames or just general complaints about the story for other reasons are more than welcome. I take criticism well and want your honest opinion (though pointless flames do tend to make me laugh). However, you've been informed about the pairing ahead of time, and I've asked nicely, so anyone who leaves me an incest comment will go on my Wall of Shame! You have been warned!

That said please enjoy the story.

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_Secrets I kept inside me  
No one can understand  
Secrets I had to hide  
'Cause no one would hold my hand when  
Secrets for me to know  
And never for you to see  
Secrets for only me_

**-Anastacia, _Secrets_**

* * *

**Prologue**

Hinata decided she hated hospitals. It was an odd conclusion to come to, staring up at that stark white ceiling, because she _worked_ at the hospital. She had been spending more and more time training alongside Ino, under Sakura, so that she could become a better medic and asset to her team. It only made sense, after all. Her fighting was average at best, even if it had been improving, and she could never quite keep up with the two boys who were her teammates.

So she had decided to utilize her greatest skill, her chakra control, and asked Sakura to teach her some basic healing jutsus. Well, Sakura had been quite impressed with how quickly she caught on, and the Hyuuga heiress had somehow found herself working part-time at the hospital to polish her medical skills. She was there almost any time that she wasn't on a mission or training. She had come to think of it as almost a second home.

But it was entirely different when you were the one lying in the hospital bed, waiting with bated breath for your test results to come back. Even when you didn't think it was something serious (surely it couldn't be anything serious?), it was still entirely nerve-wracking. Hinata had never been more glad that she'd always treated her patients with the utmost kindness and care. Because the whole experience was frightening enough without having a grumpy doctor taking care of you.

And grumpy was the only word to describe the irritable, balding man who gave her a quick examination, drew some blood, and sent it down to the lab while tersely telling her he'd have the results back in about an hour. That he doubted it was anything serious, probably just hormones. His explanation would have been comforting had he not looked the whole time like he'd just smelled something decidedly unpleasant.

But that was the same thing Hinata had thought anyway. Hormones. Because what else would cause these symptoms? She had noticed two months ago that she'd missed her period and decided to ignore it. It wasn't uncommon for kunoichi to occasionally miss due to stress and/or trauma from their job. Since both had affected her greatly as of late, she'd continued on like nothing was wrong. Then the next month came and she missed again. Again she ignored it. She'd never had a particularly regular cycle anyway. She'd missed a few times before over the years, and when she was younger she used to have prolonged periods, that would sometimes last for two or three weeks. When she'd gone to the doctor then, she'd been given a simple one-word explanation. Hormones. And she'd been put on medication to help regulate her as much as possible. Since that was undoubtedly the problem again this time, she went about her daily life and everything was fine.

The second symptom was nausea, normally in the morning just after she'd woken up. The past two weeks or so it had seemed to hit her every few days, and she found herself having to skip breakfast for fear of losing it. Then finally just three days ago, she had vomited the remains of her dinner from the previous night. Again, she figured it was just a side-effect of the stress she'd been under lately.

Then earlier that day she'd been training in the Hyuuga compound with Neji when something more alarming than a missed period and vomiting happened. Her chakra had suddenly sputtered wildly, making it nearly impossible to control, and then gone out completely. The whole ordeal lasted maybe a total of ten seconds, but it was enough for Neji to land her with a round-house kick that would make Lee proud but that she should easily have blocked and send her flying across the training grounds. After being stunned momentarily, she pulled herself to her feet and found her chakra had returned and was acting normally again.

She was relieved, undoubtedly, but concerned it had ever happened at all. An uninjured ninja's chakra was not supposed to falter like that. So after smiling sweetly at her ever-stoic cousin as he told her that she needed to pay more attention in a fight, she had rushed to the hospital, intent on getting whatever was wrong exactly fixed. Again, it was probably all due to her hormones and small bodily changes and whatnot, but if it messed with her chakra on a mission, it could be a serious hazard. She had to see a doctor.

This was what led her to where she was now, laying on her back in a hospital bed, wondering just how much longer her tests would take. She had already ended her training with Neji early, and though he didn't say anything about it, she could tell he was greatly annoyed. After all, he had given up an opportunity to train with his old genin team to train with her instead. Then she had promised to meet Kiba and Shino for dinner at six-thirty, a time which was rapidly approaching. She didn't need to upset more than one friend that day, so she hoped the doctor would hurry up, get the results, and then either give her a shot or throw some pills at her to regulate whatever crap her body was messing up.

She heard footsteps in the hall approaching, followed by the turning of the doorknob and couldn't help but smile a bit. Maybe she wouldn't be late for dinner after all. She sat up, making sure she was fully alert so she could get through this quickly, but found herself frozen in shock when the Hokage walked in instead of the angry little man who had examined her earlier. "Tsu... Tsunade-sama."

The blond woman stared at her for a moment before approaching the bed slowly, giving her the oddest look. Hinata stared right back, trying to figure out what was going on. And what was that expression? Why was the head of the hospital here at all? Unless... unless something was wrong. Something that went beyond just hormones.

"Hinata," the woman said finally, softly. Very soft. Motherly. Oh Kami, was she dying? "I have the results of your tests back. I'm... not sure how you'll take the news."

Hinata felt her eyes widen the more the woman spoke. Not sure? Wasn't this kind of news normally good or bad? There was an in-between?

"Hinata, you're pregnant."

Oh, well yes that could be considered an in-between. After all, whether the news was good or bad depended completely on the person and their situation and whether or not it was expected and _what the hell_?! "P-p-p-p-p-p-" She couldn't even get the word out. A mistake. That's it, it had to be a mistake. Or a joke. A very, very bad joke. "That- that's imp-possible."

Tsunade frowned, studying the girl with what was now obvious worry. "Impossible? You're a virgin?"

"Yes!" The girl paused, realization slowly dawning on her face. "S-sort of... No... But- but that doesn't count... But f-for this it d-does... _Oh._" She slowly lifted her head to look at her Hokage again, pale orbs wide with pure terror. "Pregnant?"

Tsunade could do nothing but sigh and nod, wishing she could tell the girl otherwise. It was all too apparent that this was not only unexpected but definitely unwanted. Not a surprise. Hiashi would have a fit when he found out his seventeen year old, unmarried, heiress of the clan daughter was expecting. And not only that, but the automatic answer to the question of her virginity... Tsunade could only imagine this had been a one-time only type of thing, probably something the girl regretted afterwards. It really was a shame that one little mistake could lead to such an outcome. Regardless, she now had to take responsibility and start making some decisions.

Just as she was getting ready to voice her pep-talk out loud, she realized no one would be listening to her. Hinata had passed out cold.

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That's just the prologue, more much longer chapters coming soon. Review!


	2. The Problem of Alcoholism Among Babies

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto there would be Byakuugan babies everywhere! So I guess it's not mine.

Wow, some people seem to have high expectations for this story. Guess the pressure's on. Hope I don't disappoint.

Inner Poise is great- The question about why no one saw it will be addressed, but not until next chapter. So until then I'll leave you with the vague 'you can't see something if you're not looking' explanation with a little bit of luck thrown in. I will delve into it in a bit more detail later.

Warnings: language

* * *

_These are things that I keep hidden in my belly  
I can't see them but they control my life  
For a moment you could see right through me  
See right through me  
Help me make this right_

**-Cloud Cult,_ Take Your Medicine_**

* * *

**Chapter 1: The Rising Problem of Alcoholism Among Babies**

_"I have an A-rank mission for you. Along the border, there is rumored to be an abandoned lab once run by Orochimaru. You are to scout out the area, see if you can find any signs of such a thing, and if found, see what, if any, information can be recovered. It's possible this place doesn't even exist, and if it does it's probably cleaned out by now, but I'd rather be safe than sorry when it comes to Orochimaru. If it is there, it's likely well hidden, which is why your team with its formidable tracking and surveying skills is the best choice."_

_Hinata blushed a bit at the praise, Shino stayed silent as always, and Kiba just scratched the back of his head, looking confused. "How come this is an A-rank if we're just lookin' for some abandoned building?" Akamaru barked his agreement from somewhere outside, and Hinata found she was also rather curious. _

_Tsunade just raised a thin, sharp brow and said, "This is why." She flung a random senbon needle at the map hanging behind her desk and three pairs of eyes followed to the spot it had struck, right at the border of the Fire and Wind countries. "That is the location of the lab." _

"_The rogue line," Shino murmured. _**(1)**

_"Correct. Because that area is both secluded and heavily wooded, it is the perfect refuge for an array of missing-nin. You'll have to be on your guard the entire time, and there's a decent possibility you could run into one or more of them at any moment. While I have full confidence in your abilities to defeat most of them, there are some dangerous S-class criminals known to frequent the area. It's best to be as quick and quiet as you can." At this she gave Kiba a pointed look, knowing quiet wasn't exactly his forte. "Shino is the mission leader." She handed the scroll to the Aburame, giving him her nod of approval. "I wanted to send a fourth with you for this one, but it's been an unusually busy time for us. I have no doubt you three can handle it just fine on your own." _

_At this, Shino gave a nod of his own, followed by a soft, "Hai, Tsunade-sama."_

_Kiba grinned and laughed cockily, lacing his fingers behind his head. "Don't worry, we'll be in and outta there no problem. Right, Hinata?"_

_Hinata just smiled._

_~To protect what's precious~_

When Hinata's eyes blinked open hesitantly, she found herself staring once again at the now familiar white ceiling of the hospital room. She didn't wonder where she was or why she was there. She wasn't given that sort of reprieve. She knew instantly what was going on, knew she must have fainted after hearing the news, since the last thing she remembered was Tsunade's nod and sympathetic look. Not like that surprised her, she was used to fainting in shock after all. It's just that normally such a reaction had been reserved for a certain blue-eyed blond. Before he started dating his pink-haired teammate and Hinata found herself content to wish them luck and continue idolizing his ideals, that is.

"You're awake."

The Hyuuga jumped, startled at suddenly hearing a voice so close. She looked over to see the very girl she'd just been thinking about. "S-sakura. Hello."

Sakura smiled, obviously pleased to see her friend was all right. "Hey, Hinata. You had me worried there. Tsunade-sama said you'd fainted, but she wouldn't tell me why. You haven't done that in a while."

_Not in almost six months._ "I know. I was just... surprised." _Very surprised._ Actually, now that she thought about it, being told you were pregnant was a much better reason to faint than just being within ten feet of the boy you had a crush on. She wasn't even disgusted with herself for fainting this time. "D-did Tsunade-sama ask you to w-watch me?"

"Hai." Another warm smile. "I should let her know you're awake." Sakura started to leave the room, but stopped at the door and glanced warily over her shoulder. "Hinata... is everything all right? Tsunade seemed kind of distressed, and you fainting for the first time in so long... Is everything okay?"

_No._ "Yes." _I'm terrified, and I don't know what the hell I'm going to do._ "Everything's f-fine, Sakura. Th-thank you for your concern."

That earned her the brightest smile yet as the pinkette slipped out of the room, leaving the Hyuuga heiress alone. As soon as the door shut with a soft click, she let her head fall into her hands, forcing down the sobs that threatened to overtake her. Kami, what was she going to do? What was she supposed to tell her father? The truth... she couldn't really tell everyone the truth, could she?

Suddenly she laughed, a harsh, hollow sound. How had she not seen this right away? Two missed periods in a row, nausea in the morning (morning sickness obviously), and a loss of chakra control. It absolutely screamed pregnancy. Only a complete idiot would miss it.

It scared nearly ten years off her life when a hand suddenly fell softly on her shoulder. When she saw soft brown eyes looking down at her, she forced the biggest, fakest smile onto her face, trying to act like she hadn't just been about to snap. "Tsunade-sama." _I feel like Sai_.

Tsunade looked her over once, not returning the smile in any way. "Hinata, I'm glad you're awake. We need to talk."

Her lips managed to somehow stretch even further so that her face started to hurt. "I kn-know."

Now a definite frown found its way onto the Hokage's face, brows pinched. "Stop that. There's absolutely no reason to look happy when you're not."

Hinata willed the fake smile to stay in place, though she did let it loosen a bit so it was no longer painful. "I h-have no idea what you mean, Tsunade-sama." If she just kept smiling, maybe everything would be okay.

Tsunade sighed, deciding that wasn't a battle worth fighting. "Anyway, there are a few things we need to discuss. You have three main options here. First, you can carry the baby to term, and then keep and raise it. If you're worried about being a mother at your age, with your situation, you can always carry it to term and then give it up for adoption, either in Konoha or outside if you want. Your third option is to simply terminate the pregnancy."

There was a gravid silence after she was done while Hinata slowly digested all that was said, the smile long gone by now. "Terminate... y-you mean abortion?"

A nod.

Hinata blinked. Abortion would solve so many problems. No one would ever have to know she was pregnant in the first place, only the Hokage and that irritable little doctor who'd examined her. And they were doctors, sworn to secrecy. Her father would never know, her friends, her clan... but... "You m-mean k-k-kill the baby."

"That is what abortion essentially does."

The Hyuuga girl paled considerably, hands unconsciously going to cover her abdomen, feeling rather sick to her stomach. This was a baby they were talking about. A harmless, innocent baby. A child who'd done absolutely nothing wrong. How could she _kill_ it? "I... I don't think I could do that." She shook her head almost frantically. "As m-much as I wish this wasn't happening right n-now, I don't think I could k-kill a baby." **(2)**

Tsunade offered a small, proud smile. "The choice is yours, and if you change your mind the procedure can be done here. The whole process would take about twenty minutes, and as a doctor I'm obligated to inform you that it would be perfectly safe for you, health-wise... Personally, however, I don't think I could ever kill my baby either."

Hinata felt herself tense up at the choice of wording the woman had just used. She'd said 'my baby'. "I... I don't really th-think of it as m-m-mine," Hinata said slowly, knowing that sounded stupid since obviously it was hers, but Tsunade just smiled patiently. "You will."

Hinata stared.

"Regardless, if you truly don't want to choose abortion, you'll obviously be carrying the baby to term. Again, everything can be taken care of here. You'll be excellent practice for Ino."

The girl slowly lifted her eyebrows, wondering what her blond friend had to do with this. "Excuse me?"

"Ino wanted to try going into gynecology and prenatal care. I think it will be easier on both of you to have a friend be there for your first time. Don't worry, I'll be watching over her shoulder the whole way."

Oh, so Ino would be her doctor? Okay, that would make things easier... unless Ino thought she was a whore... which would be bordering on ironic...

"About the father."

Hinata jerked at those words, alarm bells going off violently in her head. She couldn't talk about this, not yet. She didn't know what she wanted to do yet, didn't know if she wanted to tell the truth. She needed more time to think, to weigh all the pros and cons before making a decision. "Um... ano..."

"You don't have to tell me who it is," Tsunade continued, sensing the girl's trepidation. "That's your own business, and the only reason I'd want to know is for medical purposes; but you can talk that all out with Ino later. I just wanted to let you know that it's advised you let the father know. From your reactions earlier I don't think you're in a relationship, if you ever were. Nonetheless, it's always better to let the man know. You'd be surprised, even the most lazy or self-absorbed of men can step up to the plate when they find out they're going to be a father. I feel they at least deserve a chance."

A chance... right... Hinata wisely chose not to answer, afraid of what she might say if she did.

"As far as taking care of yourself goes, I'll have Ino go over that with you as well. You have a shift here tomorrow, right?"

Shift? Oh, work, right. "Hai. I s-start at one o'clock, get off at nine." How she managed to get only an eight hour shift, she'd never know, but she was eternally grateful to whatever force made it possible. To work only eight hours in a hospital where the average shift was often at least twelve was a real blessing.

"That's perfect. Ino will still be working when you're done, so I'll have her give you your first real exam tomorrow, just to make sure everything's as it should be. She'll answer any medical questions you have and help you figure out what you want to do after the baby's born, you don't need to decide right now. Until then, just try and relax and think everything over. I know it's a lot to take in suddenly, and it hasn't really hit you yet. Try not to worry too much, though, okay... Oh, and no heavy training. I'm sure you have a morning routine you follow and anything like katas, stretching, jogging, that's fine. And of course, anything that's focused on chakra control is fine, just don't expect it to necessarily hold out on you. If you really want to train, physically, at this point in the pregnancy you can still beat up a practice dummy, but no sparring. It's dangerous for both you and the baby."

Hinata nodded, wincing slightly as she thought about the blow she'd taken from Neji earlier, and hoping it hadn't done any damage.

"Besides that, you really don't have to worry yet. Just don't go and try to relax by drowning yourself in a bottle. That's one thing you can't have at any point during the pregnancy. Alcohol and babies don't mix."

If she hadn't been so damn frazzled, Hinata probably would have laughed at the oddity of that statement. Now she just continued to stare.

"You should go now, get some rest. It's getting late. I'll let Ino know she has an appointment with you at nine tomorrow, and don't worry," she added, seeing the uncertainty on the Hyuuga's face, "she'll keep it to herself. I know she's a gossip, but even she knows where to draw the line. If she ever disclosed patient information she'd be out of a job, you know that."

More staring, a slight nod.

"Well, go on then, get out of here. Remember what I said."

The girl didn't reply, just got carefully out of the hospital bed and scurried away, never looking back.

_~To protect what's precious~_

Pregnant. She was pregnant. She had a baby, a life, growing inside of her. Shit, _how_ had this happened? What was she supposed to do now? And when the hell had it gotten dark out? She glared absently at the sky, cursing it for being night. She could tell by the emptiness of the streets it was late, probably close to midnight, meaning there was a decent chance she'd need to explain herself when she got home. Never mind the fact that she was a perfectly capable chuunin, no longer a child in anyone's eyes, because we couldn't have anything happen to the clan's precious heiress now. What a joke, no one in the clan even liked her. And they certainly weren't going to change their tune when they found out she was pregnant.

And that was the big problem. The clan. That was the biggest concern when it came to what she should do about the baby. If she hadn't needed to take the clan's oh-so-important opinion into consideration, she knew what she would do. She'd take the money she'd saved up from her missions since she was a genin (and she'd saved quite a lot by now), buy herself a simple, small apartment with a fairly low rent, continue her work at the hospital as long as she could throughout her pregnancy, have the baby, and then raise the damn thing. Simple.

Not that she was foolish enough to ever think raising a child was simple, but it didn't actually worry her or anything. She worked almost primarily in the pediatrics department of the hospital. She was great with kids, mostly because she had an abundance of patience with them and was always willing to listen when they wanted to talk, never patronizing them no matter how ridiculous their 'issues' were. There were always those who thought because she was so soft-spoken that she was a push-over, someone they could take advantage of, but they never thought that for long. Hinata was pushed around by her father, the elders, older ninja, the senior staff at the hospital, random strangers, and occasionally even her friends (though they never realized they were doing it.) There was no way in hell she was going to be pushed around by some little brat only half her age, who she could kill with literally one finger if she really wanted to. And once they realized that, an odd sort of respect set in. They realized that she was the adult, they were the child, and they should act accordingly to that. And once that got through their heads, they always seemed to like her, immensely. To be honest, she couldn't think of one child who passed through her ward that didn't like her either immediately or after she put them in their place. She had full confidence she would be able to raise a healthy, happy, well-behaved child.

She wasn't afraid of doing it alone either. Single mothers weren't particularly common in Konoha, but they certainly weren't unheard of. Admittedly, most of them were like Kurenai, where the father was a ninja who had died on a mission, but not all of them. Sakura's mother had given birth to her when she was only nineteen and raised her all on her own, a single, civilian woman. To this day, Sakura didn't know who her father was, only that he had been a ninja and had left her mother when he found out she was pregnant. She didn't even know if he was from Konoha. For all she knew, she saw him every day. But she always said, though she was curious, it didn't really matter to her who he was. Her mother had raised her with love, giving her everything she could ever ask for, and they'd been happy just the two of them. If her father didn't want anything to do with her, she was fine with that.

And even if Hinata had a boy it would be okay. Kiba's father abandoned them when he was only three, leaving him to be raised by his mother with the help of his older sister, and he'd turned out just fine. Though he complained often about being stuck in a house with only women, it was obvious he really didn't mind. He'd told her and Shino about it before, and said if he ever needed help with any 'guy stuff' he'd just ask one of his uncles. So even if she had a boy, she knew it would be all right. He may not be able to ask any of the Hyuugas (stuck-up bastards) for help when he had 'guy problems', but Hinata had plenty of male friends she knew would be more than happy to help her child. Kiba and Shino alone could help if she had a boy, so he wouldn't be lacking a prominent male figure in his life. Everything would work out okay.

But that was only if she didn't have to take her clan into account. Which she did. Her father was going to hit the roof when she told him, and then when he dragged her in front of the elders... she didn't even want to think about it. And what was she supposed to tell them? The truth? The truth would make them think she was weak, though, in this case, they would be right. Besides, they already thought she was weak. These were the people who honestly believed her twelve year old, genin sister could beat her in a real fight, something she always got a chuckle out of. Telling them the truth couldn't lower their opinion of her, because it really couldn't get much lower. And compared to the lies she could make up, the truth would do the least amount of damage to the clan's honor. They should at least be happy about that. So yes, she'd just tell the truth. And then, regardless of any action they decided to take, she would keep the baby, because unexpected or not it was her responsibility, and she would care for it no matter how it got conceived. She didn't give a crap what anyone else thought... Oh no...

What other people thought. It didn't matter to her what people thought of her, she wasn't generally well thought of anyway. But the baby... The baby was another matter entirely. If people knew the truth, and the elders would make sure everyone knew the truth so as not to dishonor the clan too badly, how would they look at the baby? Even worse, how would the baby look at itself? If she lied, said the baby was a result of a one-night stand or something, most of the backlash would be placed on her. She would endure the wrath of the clan, the rumors, the people, ninja and civilian alike, talking about her. She might be called a whore for a while, looked down upon even more than usual. But for the most part, the baby would be free from it all. It might occasionally deal with a few whispers behind its back, maybe some taunts from other children for not having a father, but that was it. Again, it would be like Sakura, and she was no worse for wear. But if everyone knew the truth...

Instinctively, her arms came up to wrap around her stomach and protect the child growing inside, just as they had back at the hospital. She silently vowed right then and there that _no_ _one_ would _ever_ learn the truth. She would never let that happen to the baby. True, she still couldn't seem to look at it as her baby, the whole thing still so unreal, but it was a baby, hers or not. A baby didn't do anything wrong. A baby was the only thing in the world that was truly innocent. It didn't choose how it came into existence, it didn't choose its parents, it didn't choose anything. It was blameless, and she wasn't about to let an innocent baby be ruined for life because of something that wasn't its fault. This was all Hinata's own fault for being weak in the first place. And she would take the blame.

"Hinata-sama."

She jumped, uttering something akin to a squeak before she could stop it. Looking quickly over her shoulder, she saw her cousin staring at her, pale eyes bland and cold as ever. "N-n-neji-n-niisan." Why did people insist on sneaking up on her today?

For a moment they stared each other down, and she wondered why he was there. Had her father sent him to find her? If he had, she'd be downright furious, not that she'd ever let it show. She did not need a damn babysitter! And it wasn't like her father was actually worried about her anyway. He never worried about plain, little Hinata, the only thing on his mind was protecting the _heiress_ for the good of the clan. Then again, with the bomb she was about to drop on him, she wouldn't be the heiress for too much longer... And she couldn't really say that bothered her.

Neji gracefully took a seat on the bench next to her, and she couldn't help think that everything he did was graceful. It was certainly a contrast to her inherent clumsiness she seemed to have for anything but fighting. And did he really need to sit right up against the armrest of the bench, as if to put as much distance between them as possible? Kami forbid any part of them accidentally touch or anything. After all, maybe her weakness was contagious and would rub off on the clan's proud prodigy. "Wh-what are you doing here, niisan?"

He looked her over carefully, as if trying to detect a trick in her question. She hated the way he always did that. "I followed you."

He... followed her? She vaguely looked around, only now acknowledging where exactly she was. She was sitting on a bench beneath a very lovely sakura tree in the park. On the opposite side of Konoha from the Hyuuga compound. Had she really been so distracted when she left the hospital that she'd walked in the opposite direction of her home? Apparently. "Followed m-me from where?"

Cold orbs surveyed her again. "The hospital."

"Oh." Wait... "How did you know I was there?"

He frowned a bit at this and she wondered if she'd somehow managed to insult him. It really wasn't all that difficult, he could be quite sensitive. "Shino and Kiba stopped by the compound looking for you when you didn't meet them at the designated time. Since it was unlike you to skip out on your teammates, I decided to find out where you were. Then when I found you at the hospital, I was informed you wouldn't be there long, so I waited for you to come out. Then I followed you here."

She blinked. If Shino and Kiba had shown up when she didn't meet them for dinner, and then Neji had tracked her down... Even if he'd taken his time in finding her, he still must have been waiting for her for at least four hours. "W-why didn't you say anything when I c-came out?" _Why did you just follow me like a creepy stalker?_

He looked away, seemingly very interested in the darkness across the park, and if Hinata hadn't known better she would have said he was embarrassed. "You seemed perturbed when you came out and then proceeded to walk in the opposite direction of the compound. I thought that maybe you wanted some time alone to think."

Well, he had thought right. Who knew Neji of all people could be so considerate. "I d-d-did need some time to think. A-arigatou."

He nodded, still refusing to look at her. After another moment of awkward silence he asked, "Are you all right?"

"Huh?"

"You spent several hours in a hospital, and when you left were disturbed about something." He gave her a look like this should all be more than obvious. "Is everything all right?"

"Oh... y-yes, everything's f-fine. Or rather, it will be." A thought suddenly hit her, and she turned to him with a sheepish smile. "I'm af-fraid I won't be able to train with you tomorrow as p-planned." She'd forgotten until right then that she'd promised to do so before her shift, so really it was a good thing he'd followed her; because she knew he'd be downright pissed if she didn't tell him until the next day.

His brow furrowed and his jaw twitched a bit. "You're not allowed to train?"

"No... well, I can do some l-light training, but nothing you'd want to d-do." Neji's training was intense, always. 'Light training' wasn't in his vocabulary, a product of his own drive to be some kind of super-ninja and being on Gai's team for so long. Hinata was content enough, however, knowing she couldn't risk anything harming the baby. She'd probably take the opportunity to beat up that practice dummy like she was told she could while she was still permitted. Once she got far enough along, even that would be too much.

The older Hyuuga's eyes narrowed, and he looked her over very closely before abruptly looking away. He stared hard ahead, and Hinata watched as he laced his fingers together, placing his hands in his lap, squeezing them tightly. "... Did I hurt you?"

Hinata stared stupidly, sure she had just heard wrong. "Excuse me?"

He glanced over quickly before resolutely looking away again, and his hands tightened around each other. "Did I hurt you?" When she only continued to stare, he elaborated. "After I kicked you, you left and went to the hospital. Now something's wrong with you. Did I hurt you?"

Oh. He was worried this was all his fault. Of course he was, she'd be worried too if their roles were reversed. "It's f-fine, you've done nothing to get in trouble."

Now he looked at her as if she'd lost her mind. "What?"

She smiled, trying to look friendly. "You're w-w-worried about my father and the elders if you'd h-hurt me. But it's fine, what's wrong with me has n-nothing to do w-with you."

His lips thinned, and unlike before, she was now positive she had insulted him. She knew that tight look anywhere, like he wanted to yell and was very forcefully restraining himself. Mentally she cursed. Did he think she was trying to imply he was afraid of the elders? Because she wasn't. It was just a pain in the ass to have to deal with a bunch of pompous, pissed off old men. They both knew that. All she'd been saying was that he wouldn't have to go through the hassle. Maybe she should have explained herself better.

"I wasn't asking for the sake of the elders, Hinata-sama."

She inwardly breathed a small sigh of relief. _Oh good, he didn't think I was calling him a coward or something... But if that wasn't why he asked... Was he actually worried about me?_ Normally she wouldn't think anything of the sort, but if it wasn't because he was worried about the clan, what else could it be? Maybe he'd actually felt a little bit guilty thinking he'd hurt her... again. "G-gomen. I didn't-"

"If it wasn't me, then what's wrong?"

Well now, that was one question she most definitely wasn't ready to answer. But, of course, she always had been a horrible liar. Best to go with a half-truth. "It's n-nothing much, just my chakra faltered on me. Hormones, haha." And it was hormones. Pregnancy hormones.

"Hormones?" One delicate brow rose, and he fixed her with a somewhat incredulous look. "Aren't you a little old for that? Tenten informed me that only happened within the first three years or so of a girl's cycle."

Hinata wasn't sure she wanted to know just _how_ Neji and Tenten had gotten on that topic of conversation, but she cursed them both to hell for it. And he was right, for the most part it did only happen during the first few years, when the girl's body was going through the most changes. But that was only for the most part. There were exceptions to every rule. "Heh, I kn-know, I was kind of s-surprised too. It h-happens, though." She couldn't force herself to meet his curious gaze.

"Yes, I suppose so." He was examining the nothingness in front of him once more. Her eyes fell to the hands still clenched in his lap, and she was startled to see the knuckles turning white with the force of their grip on each other. Neji's face might have been just as calm and collected as always, but he was in truth very uncomfortable. Why exactly she wasn't sure, but then again, he seemed to be uncomfortable most of the time he was alone with her. She knew he really couldn't stand her. "Shall we head back now, Hinata-sama?"

The girl bit her lower lip and nodded, unable to stop staring at his hands. Why did he hate her so much? What was it about her that always made him turn away? Was it still that crap about the houses? It certainly shouldn't be, he knew by now that they both suffered constantly at the hands of the elders, her even more than him. The only difference between them was that stupid curse mark on his forehead.

As they walked back across the dark, quiet village, she found herself wringing her own hands, all worries about the baby shoved to the back of her mind as her attention focused on the boy next to her. And he was walking next to her... just far enough away that even if she stretched out her arm she wouldn't be able to touch him. She understood he liked his personal space, but no one stayed that far away from the person they were supposed to be walking with. Jerk. She couldn't even begin to fathom just why he disliked her so much. Ever since the Chuunin Exams, he'd been relaxing more and more among the rest of their friends, would smile and laugh with them, let them into his life, if only just a little. With her though, he put up a very solid, brick wall, doing everything he could to keep her out.

It wasn't as if they just couldn't get along. Their personalities were different undoubtedly, but they didn't clash that badly. At least, not to her they didn't. But then again, why should she dislike him? He was a strong, capable, confident shinobi. She, on the other hand, was a weak, clumsy, insecure little girl. Yes, she had rightfully earned the rank of chuunin. Yes, she was continuing to steadily improve. Yes, she'd already passed the low expectations most people had set for her. But compared to him, compared to _the _Hyuuga Neji, prodigy of the Hyuuga clan, she was nothing. And yet she was the clan heiress, she was the one who would eventually take over everything. And she figured that was why she annoyed him.

Still, she couldn't help wish things could be like they were when they were children. When he was still a sweet little boy, eager to play with his younger cousin. When he took all of her faults in stride, told her after her father's harsh words made her cry that it didn't matter if she was weak because he would protect her. How had that amazing child turned into the cold young man walking next to her today? And after everything they'd been through together, how was he able to so easily ignore that she existed the majority of the time? How could he put up such an impersonal front? It often made her wonder if he even remembered all the time they'd spent together all those years ago. She knew it was a long time ago, but _she_ remembered it clearly and she was younger than him. Was he really so able to forget?

They reached the compound, exchanging polite greetings with the guards on shift, and Neji dutifully walked her all the way to her room. He didn't need to go out of his way for her, he had his own little cottage on the other side of the compound. It wasn't like she'd get lost or have some horrible misfortune befall her in her own home. "Well, goo-good night, niisan. Th-thank you for being so concerned with my well-being." _Even if I do have a hard time believing it_.

He nodded respectfully, face still as blank as ever. "It is my duty, Hinata-sama."

Hinata nearly snorted, but managed to contain it. His duty. Yes, in the end it was his duty to watch over her. What a fucking laugh.

He turned to go as she opened her door, but stopped after a few paces, glancing back over his shoulder. "Oh, Hinata-sama... If you'd ever like to share what's really wrong, please feel free to find me."

Hinata stared wide-eyed at his back as he left, not sure whether she should laugh or cry. So he hadn't believed the crap about hormones after all. Couldn't he just be gullible for once? Bastard.

Going into her room, she laid down on the bed, drawing her knees up as close to her chest as possible and wrapping her arms protectively around herself. She knew she was dirty from training earlier, that she should at least rinse off in the shower, but at the moment there was no force on earth that could make her move from her current spot. She was tired, and stressed, and confused, and frustrated, and annoyed with her damn older cousin and his aloof perceptiveness. And she decided then that yes, crying did seem the best solution to her problems at the moment. So she allowed the tears to fall freely, making no attempt to stop them, just allowing herself to openly cry in a way she very rarely did. She knew it was weak and pathetic, but at the moment she just couldn't bring herself to care.

* * *

**1.** I totally made this up, but it makes sense that there would be an area or two heavily populated with missing-nin. Or at least it makes sense to me.

**2. **I'm not trying to shove my beliefs on abortion on anyone, I just honestly think this is how Hinata would react. I'm not here to preach.

BL00DofTheViNE

Inner Poise is great

NinjaSheik

SarahJaneTennant

nitrolead

Thanks for your reviews! Keep it up!


	3. Heartbeat

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto there would be Byakuugan babies everywhere! So I guess it's not mine.

Warnings: Language

* * *

_They said, 'hey there girl, tell me what do you do'  
She said, 'nothing, but I'm damn sure it's more than you'_

**-Jet, _She's a Genius_**

* * *

**Chapter 2: Heartbeat**

Hinata's day had been tiring. After a very restless, nightmare-filled sleep, she'd woken to horrible morning sickness that prevented her from eating breakfast. Then, once the nausea had finally passed, she'd spent some time meditating and stretching, followed by beating the crap out of three practice dummies on the Hyuuga private training grounds. Or at least they had been practice dummies. Now they were really no more than piles of rubble, a result of her recent frustrations.

At noon she went inside to clean up and eat lunch before her shift. After her shower, she found herself standing naked in front of the mirror, frowning at her reflection. Activating her Byakuugan she frowned even more at the bright little ball of condensed chakra sitting in her abdomen. How had no one noticed this? She knew why she hadn't noticed it herself; how often did she actually bother to use her kekkei genkai and examine her own body? The answer to that was never. But why hadn't anyone else in her family noticed?

She knew the answer to that too. It was considered horribly impolite to activate your Byakuugan indoors, so rarely did you ever find anyone with their kekkei genkai on in the compound unless they were training. And the only people Hinata ever trained with were her sister and Neji. It had been ages since she'd trained with her father, and with the exception of the day before, she hadn't trained with Neji in months either. He'd been so busy with missions and his new post as ANBU. And when he'd finally trained with her yesterday, he hadn't wanted either of them to use their Byakuugan. After a simple warm-up, he had frowned at her, telling her she was getting horribly out of shape. Probably because she was pregnant. In his attempt to start remedying the problem, he said he wanted her to work on increasing her endurance by training with regular hand-to-hand taijutsu, and had then proceeded to knock her around the training area while she tried desperately to keep up. _Good thing too. Who knows what he would have done if he'd seen it._

Of course, that didn't explain why Hanabi hadn't noticed. They didn't train together often, but they had several times since the baby's conception. She should have seen it. Hinata snorted at that. No, on second thought, Hanabi wouldn't have seen it. Not because she was stupid or unobservant, but because Hinata was so 'beneath' her that she would never have bothered to properly look at her, even when they were sparring.

In the kitchen, Hinata was joined, much to her dismay, by aforementioned sister who had just come in from training with their father. As soon as she walked in, Hinata felt herself tense, really not in the mood to deal with her. There was only one child in all of Konoha Hinata could never stand, and that was her twelve-year-old sister. And again, it all went back to the whole respect thing. Hanabi would never respect Hinata, because she'd spent the better part of her life being told by their father and the elders that she didn't have to, that she was better than her shy, quiet older sister. Spoiled brat.

What was it with the Hyuugas and ignoring the past they had with people? First Neji constantly did it, then Hanabi? Did her sister really not remember all the times Hinata had cared for her? The way she'd always been a little mother to her sister because their real mother had died when Hanabi was born? Did the girl truly not remember all the nights she'd been afraid and called for her big sister to come help her? How dare she act so high and mighty now.

It wasn't like she was some kind of amazing prodigy anyway. Neji could be considered a prodigy, he had always been better than everyone his age, always showed genius in anything he did. Hanabi had no such claim. She was the top of her class, yes, but a genius... And did the ungrateful little brat really think she could honestly beat Hinata if they fought? Hanabi may be better at the Hyuuga kekkei genkai than Hinata ever would be, but that didn't make her a better shinobi. Hinata knew her Byakuugan was weak, had invented new techniques for herself in order to use it to its fullest potential, had spent more time learning other ninjutsu, taijutsu, genjutsu, and lately medical jutsu techniques to make up for her lacking in that area. Furthermore she was a full-fledged chuunin and had earned the right to be recognized as such. Hanabi was a brand new genin. Hinata didn't care if her sister's gentle fist was better, who in their right mind thought a genin could really beat a chuunin with the exception of a few certain circumstances. Hanabi had never even killed anybody before, had yet to understand what it truly meant to be a shinobi. So how dare she come waltzing into the kitchen, demanding Hinata get her something to eat as if she were the perfect little princess and Hinata were just the lowly servant.

And yet Hinata said nothing, just made her sister lunch silently, never bothering to defend herself. Why? Who the hell knew. Hinata herself didn't even known anymore. She guessed it was just easier to go along with it than to fight. After all, it really didn't matter if her sister thought she was better than her. Let her family think whatever they wanted, she had stopped caring long ago. In the end she knew the truth, and that was all that was important.

So after bending gracefully to her sister's will, she went to the hospital for her shift, immediately cheering at the sight of the children. Seeing the faces of the regulars never failed to make her happy. Though it was sad that so many of them were stuck in the hospital for long periods of time, and some of them would never leave or grow to see adulthood, she was proud of how much better she made their stay. And her shift was a good one, none of the kids were overly sick that day, several of the terminal cases were actually feeling well enough to venture outside for a bit, and one girl who'd been there for the past three months was finally well enough to go home. She left after giving Hinata and some of the nurses a barrage of hugs, saying she would come visit. If all went as planned, that would be the only reason for her return.

At the end of her shift, the now thoroughly exhausted Hyuuga heiress dragged herself down to the gynecology department, almost immediately running into Ino. "Hinata! Perfect, I was just going to go find you," the blond gushed, pulling the smaller girl into an examining room.

Once the door was shut and they were alone, Ino spun around to face her, eyes alight with... something. Hinata blinked. Maybe she should have asked Tsunade for a different doctor after all. One who didn't know her. Shit, what if Ino looked down on her now? What if she didn't even want to be friends anymore? "Ino?"

"Kami, Hinata, you're _pregnant_. This is so exciting!"

Or not.

"I can't _believe_ it. I mean, really, out of the four of us who would have thought you'd be the first to have a kid."

Hinata knew the four were the rookie girls, meaning herself, Ino, Tenten, and Sakura. And she had to admit that she herself had never thought she'd be the first to have a baby. Truthfully, her money had always been on Ino, not that she'd ever say that out loud. And she kind of thought Temari and Shikamaru might have one before anyone. Then again, she also thought it would be several more years at least before any of them would be having kids. So much for that.

"To be honest, I kinda always thought you were still a virgin. Not that that's a bad thing," she added almost hastily, flipping her ponytail over her shoulder as she moved about the room. "Nothing wrong with saving yourself for marriage or whatever. Nothing wrong with not saving yourself either, of course. Especially for kunoichi."

Hinata shuddered a bit, trying not to think about that whole subject. She wished so much now that she hadn't been saving herself. If she hadn't... maybe it wouldn't be so bad...

"Anyway, let's take a look at this little sucker, huh?" Ino placed her hands over Hinata's abdomen, palms lighting up with green chakra. She shut her eyes for a moment, concentrating, and then a huge smile broke out across her face. "There he is. Or she. What do you want, a boy or a girl?"

Hinata waited for a moment, making sure her talkative friend actually wanted an answer, before saying softly, "Either is f-fine, but a g-girl would be easier, I think."

Ino nodded sagely, apparently agreeing. "Girls are much calmer than boys most of the time. At least until puberty that is."

Hinata hadn't been thinking of it that way when she said she wanted a girl, she'd only been looking at it from the standpoint of a single mother, but Ino was right. Boys might be more of a handful when they were younger, but teenage girls were insane.

Ino bit her lower lip, concentrating hard again before saying confidently, "I'd say you're around nine weeks already. That sound about right to you?"

Hinata nodded vaguely. It had to be right, she'd only ever had sex once.

"Awesome, I didn't realize you were so far along. Now I get to use the equipment."

The dark-haired girl couldn't stop her frown at hearing those words. "Equipment?"

"Mmhmm. But first you need to answer some questions for me."

And so Hinata answered numerous questions about her own health, the side-effects the pregnancy had already caused, how she'd been training hard up until yesterday. Ino jotted it all down on her clipboard, being very professional about the whole thing, and Hinata found herself relaxing against her will. This wasn't really so bad...

"Now, what about the father?"

Okay, so it was horrible. Hinata looked away, pressing her fingers together, before practically whispering, "It... it w-was just a o-one night stand. H-h-he's n-not around anym-more."

Ino nodded, blue eyes both compassionate and understanding as she put her hand on her nervous friend's shoulder. "Don't worry, Hinata, I've been there. If I was less lucky, I could easily be pregnant a few times over. But we're all here to help you with anything you need."

Hinata nodded, still unable to look the blond in the eye, but smiling none the less. The 'we' was the rest of the Konoha twelve, and she knew for the most part that was true. Even if the others didn't take the news as well (or happily) as Ino had, they still wouldn't abandon her. They were her friends.

"Is there any way he would be willing to come in for like a half an hour, though?" Ino continued. "Just once, just so I can get some background history on him. You know, make sure he doesn't have any family history of certain diseases, stuff like that. It won't take much time, and it would really be beneficial to the baby."

Hinata shut her eyes and shook her head.

"You're sure? I mean, if he refuses there's nothing you can do about it, but maybe if you ask him-"

"He's dead." The words slipped from the smaller girl's mouth before she'd even given them much thought, but it was the truth. And the closer she stuck to the truth, the easier it would be to keep her story straight. Besides, if Ino knew the man was dead, she'd be much less likely to continue bothering her about it.

Sure enough, the blond's mouth snapped shut, eyes widening in surprise. "Oh." She scribbled something down on the clipboard, clearing her throat awkwardly. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Hinata answered coldly, immediately regretting it. Those words she should have thought out more carefully. After all, most people would be at least a little remorseful someone they slept with had died. Even if they hadn't been close.

Ino gave her a strange look before rambling off a few more questions and setting the clipboard aside, a bright grin back in place. "All right, now the equipment."

Again Hinata frowned at the words. What equipment?

"An ultrasound," Ino clarified, seeing the other girl's face. "You're already nine weeks, and there's only so much I can see with chakra."

"Oh. O-of course." She should have been able to figure that out. She was a medic after all, whether this was her field or not.

"Now I won't be able to determine the sex yet," the Yamanaka continued, pulling the cart with the ultrasound machine closer to the bed as Hinata lay back, "but you will be able to actually see the fetus by now. It'll even look somewhat human. And we should be able to hear the heartbeat!"

Hinata just stared blandly.

"Oh come on, Hina!" Ino pouted, actually stamping her foot. "You're about to see your baby for the first time! You should at least be as excited as I am!"

The Hyuuga tried to smile for her friend but failed miserably. How could she be excited about something unwanted that had all the potential to ruin her life? She wasn't going to get upset about it, she wasn't going to try and weasel her way out of it, and she certainly wasn't going to blame the child itself. But that didn't mean she could be happy about it.

Ino made a frustrated noise, getting the machine all set up and slathering the pregnant girl's abdomen in a cold jelly-like substance. Hinata watched this all rather detachedly, just waiting for Ino to get the check-up over with so she could go home and sleep. It had been such a long day.

"There it is!"

Hinata glanced lazily over at the screen... and froze.

"Looks pretty strange, doesn't it?" Ino said, laughing a bit at the Hyuuga girl's reaction. "Like it's half-human, half-reptile or something."

"Y-yeah." Hinata continued to stare, eyes wide as the creature shifted. What was this warm feeling spreading through her chest?

"Okay, now if I do this..."

An even thumping sound filled the room, and Hinata's breath caught in her throat. She vaguely heard Ino say something else, but she didn't know what. All she could hear was the steady beating of the tiny life's heart. "It's so little. That's... that's ins-side me?"

"Sure is." Ino smiled fondly, truly happy to be sharing this moment with her. It was one of the reasons the blond had chosen this field. "That's your baby."

Hinata swallowed thickly and felt tears prick the back of her eyes. "Yeah. That is _my baby_." And for the first time, the words felt right.

_~To protect what's precious~_

Several more weeks passed. Hinata's stressful mood improved greatly, and she found herself taking everything in stride, no longer worried about what the future held. Because, regardless of what else it might hold, it definitely held her baby. As long as she could look forward to that, everything else was inconsequential.

The day after her first appointment with Ino, she'd woken and gone straight to the Hokage tower, startling Tsunade awake at her desk and tackling her in a big hug. The blond woman smiled down at the dark-haired girl and said softly, "So, was I right?"

And the girl had nodded emphatically. "Yes. It's mine."

She then discussed her future briefly with the older woman, planning some things out. She would continue her regular duties at the hospital until the end of her pregnancy, and after the baby was born she'd get a full-paid maternity leave, just like any other new mother. If the baby messed with her chakra too much for her to continue her regular job (quite likely), she would still continue working in the pediatrics ward as a nurse, like the civilians hired. It was a bit of a pay-cut, but it was still a steady income and more than she needed. And of course there would be no missions until the baby was born, along with no heavy training of any kind. One bad hit and everything could go horribly wrong.

So Hinata made herself a new daily routine of waking, meditating, doing some stretching and kata exercises, doing some basic chakra control exercises, going a short round with a practice dummy, and generally meditating again at the end. This varied, of course, depending on when her shifts at the hospital were and whether or not she was feeling up to the more strenuous activities. Several times morning sickness had lingered long enough to make her forgo most of her training for the day, in which case she'd spend extra time meditating and pouring over scrolls, anything to feel productive.

It was on one of these lazy days, as she sat meditating under a tree in the Hyuuga garden, still feeling somewhat queasy, that she felt three familiar presences approaching her. Cracking pale eyes open, she was mildly surprised to see Kiba and Shino standing over her with Akamaru's hulking figure behind them. "Oh, h-hello. The guards l-let you in?" They never had before. Quite often when she went to meet them she'd heard Kiba's voice, yelling at the guards on duty at the main gate to just let the two boys in, they knew who they were. But rules around the Hyuuga compound were strict about outsiders, even if they weren't strangers.

"No," Shino intoned, looking at her through dark glass, "Neji did."

"Oh." Hinata blinked. "Really?"

Before she even had the chance to ponder that, Kiba burst out, "Oi, Hinata, how come you never train with us anymore? And why weren't you on our mission the other day? Sakura came with us instead!"

Hinata forced herself to stay calm and breathe normally, schooling her expression as much as was possible for her. She had been expecting this, even if it came earlier than she thought. Eventually Kiba and Shino would want answers, they were her team, it was only natural. The problem was that she wasn't sure she was ready to give those answers yet. She had been hoping that she'd be able to put it off until physical changes would force her to tell.

"G-gomen. It's just... I..." She really wished she'd thought up a good excuse ahead of time.

"Why didn't you tell us?"

Her brain stopped searching for temporary cover stories as she fixed Shino with a startled look. "Wha-what do you mean?"

The boy didn't move and gave her no answer, but he really didn't need to. She knew what he meant. But how...?

"Hey, what's goin' on here?" Kiba demanded, knowing he was missing something. "What aren't you two telling me?"

Shino's gaze shifted just a bit, the sun glinting almost menacingly off his glasses. "Hinata?"

The girl in question lowered her head, bangs covering her eyes. His bugs must have sensed it somehow. "Gomenasai. I haven't told anyone yet, n-not just you two. I j-j-just... I just had a lot of things to work out with myself."

Shino nodded in understanding. "Of course."

"You still haven't told me what's goin' on!" Akamaru barked in agreement with his master.

Hinata glanced up shyly, taking a deep breath to steady herself. She could do this. She would have to get used to telling people this anyway, and who better to practice on than Kiba, one of her closest friends? Yes, she could do this. "I'm pregnant."

The miffed look the dog-nin had been wearing was quickly replaced by one of confusion, followed by a mix of shock and horror. "You're knocked up?"

The Hyuuga cringed a bit at both the look and the words, but felt herself relax just a little when she heard Shino's warning, "Kiba..."

"Ah, my bad!" the brunette quickly amended, waving his hands innocently in front of him. "It's just a surprise, that's all! So that's what that new smell is..."

Hinata relaxed a bit more, not sure she wanted to know just what she smelled like.

"So who's the lucky guy?" Kiba asked casually, eyes flashing. It was all too clear that if he didn't like the answer, he would hunt the man down and most likely kill him. At least he hadn't worded it chauvinistically, something like 'who did this to you?'. Though in this case...

"A-ano... it doesn't m-matter." She looked carefully away. "He's dead."

Kiba flinched at the answer, and she could tell Shino had a similar reaction internally. The words had the desired affect, though, and that subject was immediately dropped.

"So... no one else knows?"

She shook her head vaguely, mind still stuck on the father of the baby. "No... well, Ino knows. She's my p-primary physician..." Alarm suddenly crossed her features and she looked up desperately at her team. "Y-you c-can't tell anyo-one. P-p-please. I-I'm not r-r-ready to tell p-people yet. S-s-soon, but not y-yet."

"Hey, hey, calm down!" Kiba cried, literally smelling the girl's distress. "If _Ino_ can keep a secret, you know I can. And you know bug-boy doesn't talk enough to gossip."

Shino glared his way.

The two boys took seats next to her then, filling her in on their latest mission with Sakura, chatting amicably about their other friends and fellow shinobi, Kiba shouting at Shino while the Aburame insulted him phlegmatically, the usual. None of them mentioned the baby again that day. None of them saw the pair of eyes watching them either.

_~To protect what's precious~_

Hinata pouted a bit as she looked at herself in the mirror. She was now officially in her thirteenth week and it was beginning to show. Her stomach, once hardened delicately by a thin layer of muscle, was now soft and flabby. She also had a small lump adorning her abdomen. On anyone else it could easily be passed of as simple pudge, but on a shinobi (one who wasn't an Akimichi at least), it was odd. On Hinata it was doubly odd because she'd always been so thin. She didn't eat much, and she trained constantly.

Luckily, she was known for always wearing her favorite baggy coat, so it would still be a while before anyone really noticed her sudden weight gain. She was still working up the courage to let her 'condition' be publicly known, though she was almost ready. And she had promised Ino that when she was, the blond could help her spread the word throughout Konoha. Hinata had never seen Ino's eyes light up like they did upon hearing that.

A soft knock on her door pulled her from her thoughts, and she yanked her black t-shirt back down over her stomach, frowning when she realized the pudge could be seen through the clinging material. Slipping into her coat to hide it fully, she opened her door and was told by a branch servant that the elders requested her presence. She thanked the timid lady and was rewarded with a genuine smile before the servant scurried off. The servants always had liked her...

Upon reaching her destination, being told to enter, bowing politely to the assembled elders, and taking her seat in the middle of the room, Hinata finally allowed herself to wonder why she was there at all. Up until just recently, being called by the elders for any matter had always made her a nervous wreck, terrified of the looks of disgust they gave her, hating to hear how she had failed them again in some way or another. Now she really didn't care anymore. She'd finally come to terms with the fact that no matter what she did, it would never be good enough, and had decided that she really didn't need to impress them anyway. Besides, she was likely to be immediately passed over as heiress and demoted to the branch house the moment they found she was pregnant, which wasn't too far off. So screw them, it didn't matter to her.

It still surprised her, though, when her father told her she'd been summoned because her status as heiress had been challenged by the majority of the elders. Apparently, if she wanted to keep her status, she had to fight Hanabi for it in a one-time, winner take all situation. He stressed that the fight _did not_ have to be to the death as it had once upon a time, and would be called once a clear winner was decided. He himself, as clan head, would be the judge. And the fight would commence in an hour.

Hinata stared at him, trying to digest what she'd just been told. She knew by the tone her father used that he had not been one of the elders to challenge her. She also knew that he knew she could beat Hanabi in a true fight and was subtly asking she didn't actually _hurt_ her younger sister. Her father may never have liked her much, but she still knew that he wanted her to take over the clan after his reign was done. A few years ago he'd been considering passing her over for her sister, but her determination and show of strength had changed his mind. Even if she wasn't the daughter he wanted, he still found her the better choice to lead the clan. Well, apparently she'd have to let him down one more time.

"M-moushiwake gozaimasen, b-but I must dec-cline. I cannot f-f-fight Hanabi."

Her father and a few of the other elders looked visibly surprised. Biting her lip subconsciously, she wondered why all the others had such smug, knowing looks on their faces, like they had planned this. But how could they know she wouldn't fight? She may be a lot of things, but never had she backed down from a challenge. To actually _plan_ that she wouldn't fight seemed a bit strange...

"You are aware that if you refuse this fight you will be stripped of all status and demoted to the branch house in full dishonor."

Her father's voice brought her back to the matter at hand, and she blinked, as if surprised at being addressed. "Ah, I-I-I-I-I-"

"Refusing to fight is the same as losing," Hideki, a pompous old man on her father's right cut in. "Only more disgraceful and cowardly. The same consequences apply, whether you lose or choose not to fight."

Hinata nodded, wondering why he'd bothered to tell her that, and realizing he'd taken her stuttering for confusion, when really her mouth just sometimes got stuck. And she wasn't at all upset over the 'cowardly' comment. Losing was dishonorable, yes, but at least you tried. Refusing to fight means you didn't even try in the first place and was clearly the worse of the two. Normally Hinata would never choose to take such a path willingly, but there were bigger things at stake here than her pride or even her clan. Namely, her baby's health.

"I unders-stand. I will p-pack my things to move int-to the branch house d-d-dorms. If I may h-h-have s-some time to prepare my dep-parture."

Her father's eyes were cold and hard, but mostly just confused as he nodded his assent. This wasn't at all like Hinata. Hinata never just gave up.

With a final bow, Hinata left the room and returned to her own. Immediately she began to pack, taking only things really worth keeping so as to make everything easier in the long run. When had she ever acquired so much junk?

The door to her bedroom suddenly burst open, making her jump and drop an armful of scrolls with a squeak. She couldn't remember a time when someone had just come into her room without knocking, but then again, she rarely came face-to-face with an absolutely livid Neji either. And he wasn't making any effort to hide it. "N-niisan?"

* * *

Blah, this chapter didn't flow quite the way I wanted it to, but oh well. Hope it turned out okay anyway.

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Inner Poise is great

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Big thanks to all my reviewers! They always make me happy!


	4. Neji: Prodigy, Protector, Paramour

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto there would be Byakuugan babies everywhere! So I guess it's not mine.

Warnings: Language

* * *

_You're not alone  
Together we stand  
I'll be by your side  
You know I'll take your hand_

**-Avril Lavigne, _Keep Holding On_**

* * *

**Chapter 3: Hyuuga Neji: Prodigy, Protector, Paramour**

"N-niisan?"

"Just what the _hell_ do you think you're doing?"

Yes, this Neji was definitely different from any she'd encountered before. Even at the Chuunin Exams when he'd tried to kill her, he'd kept a tight reign on the majority of his emotions. Now he didn't seem to care and they poured out full force, surrounding him with a nearly visible aura.

"I-I-I-" She backed slowly away as he stalked towards her, until she hit the wall. She glanced around her room almost desperately, wishing there was a way to escape her cousin's wrath. She wasn't sure why he was so angry, but she couldn't afford to let him attack her. There was no way she'd come out unscathed.

"You," he continued, still moving towards her, "are the heiress of the clan. You _have_ to take over after your father. _Why_ are you running away?"

She blinked at him, too surprised to be terrified for a moment. He was angry because she was no longer the heiress? "Th-th-they want me to f-fight Hanabi. I can't do that. I'm s-s-sorry, niisan."

He finally stopped walking directly in front of her, keeping her pinned where she was, breaths coming a bit harsher than usual. "What do you mean you can't fight her? You don't honestly believe that she's strong enough to defeat you, do you?"

"N-n-no-"

"Then _why_ can you not fight her?"

Hinata looked away, too afraid to meet his furious silver eyes. "This... this isn't ab-bout me, niisan."

Neji gave an incredulous snort. "What does that mean? Of course it's about you!"

"N-no... no..."

There was an almost eerie silence, and Hinata chanced a glance back at her cousin to see why he'd suddenly stopped yelling. His eyes were fixed on her stomach, which her arms had unconsciously raised to shield protectively. Immediately she dropped her arms, but it was far too late. Neji had already seen the action, and he was, after all, a very smart man. One who had already activated his Byakuugan; and was now staring at the bright little ball of chakra nestled safely in her abdomen.

Like lightening his hand snapped to the zipper of her coat, yanking it down and parting the fabric. His lips parted slightly as his hands grabbed the form-fitting black t-shirt underneath, pulling it even more taut against her stomach, exposing the small lump that had never been there before. He slid his hands absently over the bump, as if to be sure his mind wasn't just playing tricks on him, before both came back to rest firmly on her hips. "You're pregnant."

She couldn't seem to make her voice work, but her wide-eyed look of terror and almost violent trembling were all the answer he needed. She didn't know what she'd do if he tried to hurt the baby. One Jyuuken strike to the stomach, hell, one good kick from him, could kill it instantly. "I c-c-can't f-fight Hanabi, n-n-niisan. P-p-please..." She felt tears prick at the back of her eyes. _Please don't hurt my baby_.

Neji shot her a bit of a glare, though his whole manner seemed to soften now and his tight grip loosened. "Well of course you can't fight her, you're pregnant. Why didn't you just say so in the first place?"

Hinata blinked. _Huh?_ "N-n-niisan?"

"Did you tell the council this was _why_ you couldn't fight?"

At the shake of her head, Neji growled lowly in the back of his throat. She flinched a bit at the sound, but he didn't seem to notice. "Whose is it? One of your teammates?"

She blinked, startled, not by the question itself, but by the assumption that the baby was either Kiba or Shino's. Did he think she fancied one of them? "N-no."

"Damn."

_What?_

"Whose then? Shikamaru, Chouji... oh Kami, it's not Naruto's, is it?"

Hinata frowned, instantly reverting back to old habits of defending the blond. "What's wrong with Naruto-kun?"

Neji's eyes widened almost comically. "It's his?"

"W-what? No, it's n-not his."

A sigh of relief followed that statement, and Hinata was about to repeat her question, thoroughly confused. Neji and Naruto were friends; what would be so wrong if he was the father of the baby?

"I would ask if it was Sai's, but everyone knows he's gay."

Well, that was true enough. But it was time to put an end to this pointless guessing game. "A-ano, n-niisan... you don't know the father. I guarant-tee it."

One thin, delicate brow rose at the statement. "Oh? Whose is it then?"

"He's..." Hinata glanced away. "H-he's dead."

"Really? What a shame," Neji said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "However, that's not what I asked you. Who is the father of the child?"

"I c-c-can't t-tell you."

Apparently her cousin didn't much like this answer. He scoffed in disbelief, a glare that could kill sent her way. Hinata shivered a bit but held firm. There was _no way_ that _anyone_ would _ever_ know. She wouldn't do that to her baby.

"Hinata-sama, I'm not going to get angry, I don't really care who it is," Neji said in a clipped tone. "But how this situation proceeds depends entirely on your child's lineage. I have to know."

The girl bit her lip hard, tasting blood, and shot him an apologetic look. "I _can't_, niisan."

"I'm just trying to help you," he added hurriedly, assuming she suspected him of ulterior motives, but she shook her head.

"I really can't. It's n-not about me."

Understanding dawned on his face, and he shot a quick look down at her abdomen before giving a slight nod. "I see." He took a deep breath and shut his eyes, obviously thinking hard. A moment later they opened, and for a second Hinata couldn't help but think how amazing they were. "Am I to assume that the father is not from a noble clan?"

Hinata stared. "N-noble... I... n-n-no. Definitely not." Or at least if he was, he'd been disowned long ago.

He let out a tired sigh, closing his eyes again. "I was afraid not. That only leaves one choice then. I'm tempted to use Shikamaru's favorite word here."

"Troublesome?"

"Yes, that one." He absently scrubbed a hand over his face in a very un-Neji like way. "Oh well, nothing more to it, I guess. Come, Hinata-sama," he said grabbing her hand and pulling her out of the room. "We need to meet with the elders."

Eyebrows disappeared beneath her bangs at the words. "The elders? W-why? I c-c-can't fight Hanabi and-"

"I know you can't fight her, Hinata-sama," he said in a patient voice, as if he were talking to a child. "They can't force a pregnant woman to fight in order to uphold her status, it goes against every shinobi moral there is. You'll be able to get a delay until you've given birth."

"I... I will?" Hinata felt her heart lighten at his words. She didn't overly care if her sister became head of the clan and not her, but just giving up and walking away from any fight like a coward really bothered her. Not to mention a small, selfish part of her really wanted to see the look on her arrogant sister's face when she shoved it into the ground...

"B-b-but, niisan... it doesn't matter whether or not I fight Han-nabi. When the elders find out I'm p-pregnant, they'll str-strip my status anyway."

"They won't."

Hinata's face screwed up in confusion. "They won't?"

"They won't. Just let me handle everything. All you have to do is sit there."

"Oh... o-o-okay..." What could he possibly have planned that would save her from disgrace? She had gotten pregnant, out of wedlock, with a person of common blood. There was no way, as the heiress, that she was permitted to do that.

As the pair rounded a corner sharply, nearly bowling over an elderly servant (Hinata apologized profusely in the moment she had before Neji dragged her on), she realized her hand was still enveloped in her cousin's much larger one. This in turn led her to a pressing question. Why was Neji helping her like this? And why had he accepted her condition so easily?

"Niisan... you're not... surprised that I'm..."

Neji glanced back at her with a frown, eyes telling her she'd asked something very stupid. "Of course I'm surprised, Hinata-sama. I would never have taken you for anything but a virgin. And I'm upset you put your birthright at stake like this."

Birthright? He was upset that she hadn't been more protective of her status in the clan? Why?

She never got to ask though, because they were suddenly knocking on the door to her father's study and requesting an audience with the elders again. Hiashi looked both teenagers over searchingly before granting them their request, an almost hopeful look on his face. Maybe Neji had managed to talk some sense into his oldest daughter.

Once all the old bastards had filed back into the room once more, mostly looking annoyed by the inconvenience, Hinata bowed low and thanked them for granting her a second audience. Except this time she wasn't alone. Neji sat to her right, just behind her as a show of his lower status. She was surprised how just having him there and knowing she had his support both calmed her and gave her courage.

"So what is it now?" Hideki asked impatiently, a sour look on his wrinkled face. "Have you changed your mind?"

Hinata opened her mouth slowly, not sure exactly of what to say, not even fully sure she had understood what Neji had told her about getting a delay. Should she just blurt out that she was pregnant or-

"We have come to request the fight between Hinata-sama and Hanabi-sama be postponed," Neji spoke up suddenly. Hinata shot him a quick, grateful look, remembering how he'd told her he would take care of everything.

Hideki looked far from amused that Hinata had found a voice that didn't stutter. "Does this branch house speak for you now, Hinata-sama?" he taunted.

From the corner of her eye she saw Neji stiffen and open his mouth to retort, but she beat him to it. "He is my p-protector, Hideki-sama. He sp-speaks for me, just as I do f-for him." She was a bit worried about saying she spoke for Neji, something she would never dream of doing, but the look he gave her was nothing short of impressed. _Well, at least I can do something right_.

Hiashi cleared his throat, gaining everyone's attention and bringing it back to the important matters at hand. "Why do you request this stay?"

Hinata didn't even get the chance to ponder how to answer this time. Neji instantly said in a deep, even voice, "Because Hinata-sama is with child."

The look of pure, unadulterated shock that crossed Hiashi's usually emotionless face was so priceless Hinata nearly smiled. She caught herself, though, figuring it wouldn't be appropriate given the situation, when something else came to her attention. With the exception of her father and a few choice others, just like earlier, the rest of the elders seemed unsurprised.

Neji didn't fail to miss this detail either. "You knew," he said softly, brows drawing together. He was so angry right then he didn't care about how much he could get in trouble for running his mouth off to them. "That's why you brought this whole issue up all of a sudden." Of course, it was a win-win situation for the elders who didn't want Hinata to take over as clan head. They had found out she was pregnant somehow, and chose then to make her fight Hanabi, knowing she would either decline because of the baby or admit her pregnancy to someone not from a noble clan. Either way, she would be forced to relinquish her position to her sister... Or that's how they thought it would go. Neji had ideas of his own.

"Yes, we knew," Hideki confirmed with a smirk, "and we were ignoring it for Hinata-sama's sake. Now, thanks to you, we have no choice but to take action."

Hinata felt herself tense. This was exactly what she'd been expecting. She was still going to be sent to the branch house, so _why_ had Neji insisted on going through all of this?

"As the clan heiress, Hinata-sama would only be permitted to fraternize with others in an upper house of a noble clan. Does the father of the child fit this description?"

Neji cocked his head a bit. "No, but-"

Hideki chuckled. "I thought not. Then this act in itself is enough to dishonor Hinata-sama and have her status stripped. There's no longer any need for her to fight Hanabi-sama."

Hinata lowered her head, not wanting to look at all the pale, glaring eyes focused on her. Really, _why_ had Neji made her sit through this for no reason? Was this some sort of payback for something? A way for him to safely torture her with no repercussions?

"Actually, there is one way to keep both your honor and status," one of the female elders spoke up.

The girl froze and cautiously looked up at the old woman curiously. Had Neji been right?

"You do not appear to be too far along yet. Probably at the end of your first trimester, beginning of your second."

A slight nod.

"Well, you could always eliminate the problem."

Dead silence followed. Hinata's eyes grew wide as her face lost any color it had once held, and her arms flew up to curl around her middle protectively. She meant get rid of the baby.

"Really," another elder put in, "that _would_ be best for upholding the clan's honor. Better than having our heiress disgraced."

She felt herself start to tremble. Was _this_ what Neji had meant? They couldn't. She wouldn't let them hurt her baby.

"That's true."

"Agreed."

No... no... _no_...

"Don't be absurd." Neji was suddenly right behind her, hand coming to rest on the middle of her back supportingly as she shook. "This is not your choice to make, and if Hinata-sama had wished to terminate the pregnancy, she would have done so already."

Slowly the tremors eased away and Hinata leaned into Neji a bit to keep from falling over. That's right, this was not their choice, it was hers. They had no right to do anything to her baby. She wouldn't let them. And... apparently Neji wouldn't let them. That hadn't been his plan. A fact that made her feel much safer.

"Watch your tone, branch house," Hideki growled but grinned smugly, apparently already having foreseen that outcome. "Well, seeing as that's the only way for Hinata-sama to keep her honor-"

"Hinata-sama has done nothing to lose her honor."

Several of the elders snorted (in the most dignified way possible, of course). "Oh really? As part of the main house and heiress of the clan, it is Hinata-sama's duty to keep up all appearances in a respectful manner. Having a _bastard_ child hardly indicates-"

"Don't call my child a bastard!" Hinata suddenly snarled ferociously at the same time Neji snapped, "You yourself had three children out of wedlock, when you were already married!"

"Silence!"

Both teens shut their mouths, but they were visibly seething by now. Hinata had lost all traces of her timid demeanor after the slurs against her unborn child, and Neji was only getting more and more angry at the ridiculousness of the whole situation. They weren't really giving him a chance to speak, and if he dared interrupt them too blatantly, he'd be punished and still ignored.

"Comparing Hinata-sama to myself will get you nowhere, boy," Hideki growled at Neji, looking as if he were a second away from activating the curse seal. The only reason he hadn't yet was because of Hiashi's protectiveness over his nephew. "My children, born out of wedlock or not, were conceived with a member of the branch house. Thus they are legitimate members of the clan with pure, noble genes, regardless of their low status."

"Exactly," Neji jumped in, finally spotting his chance to explain properly. "It has always been acceptable for main house members to take a branch house mistress, and even pregnancy is acceptable in those relationships so long as the child is then kept a member of the branch house. I was merely pointing out that you are a perfect example of this, Hideki-sama. What Hinata-sama did is no different; the only difference is that since she is the female in this case, she is the one to actually carry the child."

Hideki was momentarily stunned into silence and Neji did an inner victory dance. The old prick hadn't seen this coming.

"A branch house courtesan?" another elder said slowly. "But Hinata-sama is a young lady. Surely that isn't appropriate..."

Neji inclined his head politely the elder's way. "I understand your thoughts. However, as a girl, Hinata-sama can be recognized as the heiress of the clan, she can be acknowledged as a shinobi, she can take over from her father and become our leader; shouldn't she also have the same rights as any male member of the main house?"

He paused for a moment, letting his words and what they meant sink in. This was where his argument was either won or lost. It all depended on how sexist the council of elders turned out to be. He wished there were more females present, but only two of the twenty in front of them had their reproductive organs on the inside instead of the out. Still, Hiashi definitely wanted Hinata to take over after him, so he would support any decision that would allow that...

Hinata didn't look up from the ground, unsure of whether or not she would be able to school her expression appropriately. What the hell was Neji thinking, implying she had some sort of branch house concubine like those assholes? Where was he going with this?

"The father is a member of the branch house?" Hideki asked almost skeptically. He shot Hinata a look, sizing her up, and obviously thinking her incapable of using her status to take a branch member to her bed. Which he was right, of course. Hinata would never use her authority for something like that. "Who is he then? We would like to question him immediately. Call him at once."

Hinata bit her lip anxiously. Hadn't Neji seen this coming? How were they supposed to get some random branch house member to pretend to be her child's father? Who would agree to that, and then likewise be able to play along with no prior warning-

"I'm right here."

The silence was deafening, and Hinata thanked Kami she had indeed chosen to keep her head down. Because her eyes were wide enough to pop, her face was red as a cherry, and she found she had a sudden inability to breathe. Had Neji just... Really?

Neji watched patiently as the stupor that had taken its hold over the entire room slowly faded. Well, if nothing else, at least he'd taken a few years off these old bastards' lives. He gently rubbed a few small circles on Hinata's back where his hand was still placed, knowing the poor girl was about to faint. Maybe he should have warned her ahead of time.

What followed was a rather heated argument over whether or not Hinata, as a girl, had the same right to 'help herself' to the branch house as the men did. As expected, Hiashi supported Hinata fully as did his usual group of blind followers. Hideki and his own group of followers vehemently denied that girls should be given the same rights when it came to sex.

_Yes_, Neji thought bitterly, _protect the delicate, little main house flowers while you're free to practically rape any branch girl that catches your eye._

The real decision came down to those elders who actually made up their own minds, and Neji watched with bated breath. The two females, though both very old and conservative in most of their views, still had enough feminine pride to insist that Hinata should have the same rights as any male did, not buying the bullshit about protecting a woman's purity. Most of the males, it seemed, leaned in Hinata's favor as well. One of them even repeated Neji's words from earlier, saying if she could lead the clan, certainly she could sleep with whomever she wanted. And when it was finally put to a vote, Hinata's pregnancy was deemed legitimate, twelve to eight. Likewise, a delay was granted for the fight with Hanabi until she gave birth, followed by a three month grace period for her to regain her health.

As the elders filed out of the room, Hiashi said in a light tone that fooled no one, "Hinata, Neji, stay. I wish to have a word with you."

Hinata almost immediately started shaking again. How the hell was she supposed to explain this? Her father would kill her, he would tear her limb from limb, knock her head off her shoulders, throw-

"Hinata-sama."

The soft whisper brought her away from her pessimistic thoughts and she turned to look into the eyes of her cousin. How could he be so calm?

"There's nothing to fear, Hinata-sama. I'll protect you."

Hinata felt her lips part as she made a small, startled noise in the back of her throat. Neji had never directly said that to her, even if he had acquiesced that it was his duty many times. Never had he looked at her with such sincerity. Never had he been so kind to her.

"Well, I must say," Hiashi's firm voice rang out, making the girl jump a bit, "this is quite a surprise." He peered down at the teenagers in front of him, his face giving nothing away. "How long has this been going on?"

Neji glanced Hinata's way and shrugged just a bit. "I'd say about five months or so. I wasn't paying very close attention."

Hiashi's pale eyes moved to rest on his quaking daughter. "Hinata?"

"Th-th-th-th-th-th-th-" She stopped and shut her eyes, cheeks flaming. Why oh why did she have to get stuck on a word now of all times? She couldn't do this, her father would know, he'd get even angrier at being lied to, and then-

No. What was she thinking? She was Hyuuga Hinata, she never gave up, and she refused to back down to anything. Especially something so mundane as her own father. Taking a deep breath to steady herself and feeling the warmth coming from Neji's palm still resting supportingly on her back, she said, "That sounds about right, Chichiue," without the barest hint of a stutter.

Hiashi studied her a moment longer. "I see." For a moment there was silence but then he said, almost curiously, "I know for a fact that you were never ordered to Hinata's bed, Neji. I know that much about my daughter. Therefore, there is something more going on here than you two are letting on." He stared piercingly at them, unnerving even Neji a bit. "And I think I know what it is."

Hinata stiffened at the words, hands absently protecting her slightly rounded belly, eyes fixed unseeingly at a spot over her father's shoulder. She wouldn't let anyone hurt her baby. Not even him. If he somehow figured out the truth...

Neji's hand slid across the spot between her shoulder blades and she felt the tension ease away. It would be all right, she wasn't alone. Neji had helped her this far, had promised to protect her. It would be okay.

Hiashi's lips twitched for a moment, obviously withholding a smile. With something akin to a chuckle he muttered, "Yes, I see. There are worse things I suppose."

Hinata blinked. Worse than what? She was starting to think her father didn't see.

"Regardless of how this all came about, it has happened, and action needs to be taken. Pregnancy is a very vulnerable time for any woman, kunoichi included, so Hinata's safety is of the utmost importance. For a bit longer I believe there is no real worry, but soon she will be too far along to properly defend herself in any sort of attack. Once that time comes, Neji, I expect you to take a leave of absence from all missions and focus solely on her protection."

Hinata winced. Neji had only just recently made ANBU, and she knew he wanted to become a captain within the next year or so. Having to take months off duty so he could babysit her would not help him with that. In any way. There was no way he would be happy about the arrangement.

"Of course, Hiashi-sama. Hinata-sama's protection is my greatest concern."

Hiashi nodded, but added almost off-handedly, "Your child's protection should also be of concern, Neji. I would like to see my first grandchild be born healthy."

Neji's eyes narrowed just a bit and he regarded his uncle carefully before speaking. "It will only be a branch child. No one will consider it your first true grandchild."

Hiashi's lips twitched once more. "For now."

Neji and Hinata both shot each other perplexed looks. _What?_

"You're dismissed." They stood to leave when he called, "Actually, I think it may be best if Hinata were to move into your home with you, Neji. That way you can be with her most often."

Hinata nearly groaned out loud. Just how much did her father expect her to take advantage of her cousin's kindness? Not that he realized that's all this was.

Neji still looked unfazed. "Wouldn't that be inappropriate, Hiashi-sama?"

Hiashi laughed openly in a way that was rarely heard. "I think it's a bit late for that, don't you?"

Hinata ducked her head, a pink tinge on her cheeks, while Neji just _stared_. They bowed once more and left the room. And once Hinata was safely back in her own room, the door shut tight behind her and Neji eyeing her warily, she realized just how shaken by the whole ordeal she was. And promptly fainted.

_~To protect what's precious~_

_Hinata couldn't suppress her giggle as an irate Kiba splashed Akamaru with everything he was worth, growling playfully about how his dog should respect him more. She knelt down next to the lake herself, filling the teams' canteens diligently, not flinching when Shino suddenly appeared behind her._

_The quiet boy took in the scene for a moment before calling out, "Kiba, keep it down. We're getting closer to the rogue line."_

_The Inuzuka paused and sniffed a bit in Shino's direction. "Yeah, so?"_

"_So don't attract any unwanted attention."_

"_Ha!" Kiba scoffed, waving away Shino's concerns. "Who cares. Like any of those missing-nin are a match for us. Bring 'em on, right, Akamaru!"_

_As the dog yipped excitedly, Hinata smiled._

_~To protect what's precious~_

When Hinata woke, she was quite warm and comfortable, tucked underneath the blankets of a bed. Her bed, she realized, when her nose caught the familiar floral scents of her own bedroom. And judging by the quiet song of crickets playing outside, it was obviously still nighttime.

She sat up slowly, still a bit light-headed from passing out. In front of Neji. How humiliating. And from the looks of things, he had tucked her in before leaving, like a child. She felt unusually pathetic at the thought.

With a resigned sigh, she glanced over at the clock on her bedside table to see it was indeed three in the morning. Flipping on a small lamp to dimly light the room, she found a note leaning against its base. She knew right away who it would be from.

_Hinata-sama,_

_I will be by tomorrow at one o'clock to help you move some things into my home. Prepare things you know you will want and need during your stay. Please remember that the arrangement is only temporary, and that you are only going across the compound. Any item you desire at a later time can be retrieved immediately._

_Neji_

Hinata read the note once more and frowned at it a bit. _Does he really have to add 'sama' even in writing?_ She could also read through his polite wording. He was asking her to pack light, because in all honesty she wasn't even really moving at all, just more switching rooms. And her old room would still be there to store anything she didn't use on a daily basis.

Groaning despairingly, she brought her knees up to her chest, hugging them tightly and burying her face into them. Why was Neji doing all this? She honestly didn't understand just what was going through her genius cousin's head. Didn't he realize what all this implied? That in doing this he would be stuck as her baby's father forever, or at least until she took over as head of the clan? Why would he go through all this trouble?

She understood that it was his 'duty' to protect her, and that over the past few years he'd been taking that duty very seriously. But really, this was far beyond anything that was expected of him. To _lie_ for her just so she could keep her status... status that in all truth, she didn't give two shits about. There was no reason for him to go so far.

When one o'clock rolled around, Neji knocked softly on Hinata's door, waiting for an answer. He had just finished some morning training with Lee and Tenten and was now starving. How was it that he still allowed sparring with Lee to go to his head like that? Honestly, the green-clad shinobi still, after all these years, had the ability to get him riled up, even if he never let it show on the outside. He'd been so involved in their fight that he didn't even realize what time it was, had forgone lunch, and then rushed back to the compound so he wouldn't keep Hinata waiting. He didn't even get a chance to wash up, so he stank of sweat and dirt and... Lee. Who interestingly enough smelled predominantly of mint.

When Neji could detect no movement from inside the room though Hinata's presence was obvious, he discreetly activated his Byakuugan, a slight smile curling at his lips. He let himself into the room, his steps making no noise as he went over to the sleeping girl on the bed. She was dressed for the day, wearing different clothes than the ones last night, so he knew she'd been up at some point. With the way she was sleeping now though, he also knew she must have been exhausted. Was being pregnant tiring? He would have to find out...

The girl on the bed stirred, eyes snapping open as soon as she realized there was someone next to her, hand moving instinctively for the kunai she kept under her pillow. After a moment she relaxed. "Niisan?"

Neji stared impassively down at her. "I apologize for letting myself in, Hinata-sama, but you didn't hear me knock."

She blinked. "Oh." They stared at each other for a moment longer when her eyes widened and memories rushed back to her. "Oh! I'm sup-pposed to move in with y-you. G-gomen, I only m-meant to rest for a m-moment. I didn't mean to fall as-sleep."

"It's quite all right," he muttered as she dashed from her bed and into her bathroom. She came out with a small bag, most likely containing her toiletries, and then went to another larger bag that he could only imagine held her clothes and some other personal items. So she had packed before her nap.

"Gomen," she said again, tucking a lock of blue/black hair behind her ear. "I'm ready."

Neji watched as she picked both bags up, eyebrows raised. Was she really going to carry that heavy thing by herself when he was right there? "Give it here," he said, taking the larger bag from her while she stuttered out a protest. "You're pregnant." Admittedly, the bag wasn't as heavy as he'd first thought, meaning she had packed light, but still.

"I'm n-not an invalid, niis-san!"

"I never said you were." He turned to start the walk to his cottage. "I said you were pregnant. Besides, it's my duty to serve you."

Hinata's teeth clenched at the words. In a very uncharacteristic move, she grabbed Neji by the arm, practically throwing the surprised boy into a wall, shoving her door closed to give them privacy from prying eyes. She watched Neji's own eyes widen in shock, clearly never having expected her to do something like that. And he was right, it wasn't really like her, but dammit, none of this was exactly normal and none of it was okay. She wanted answers and she wanted them now.

"Why are you doing this, niisan?"

He was looking at her like she'd grown a second head. "Hinata-sama? I don't-"

"You _do_ know what I mean," she cut in immediately, not giving him the chance to finish. "Why have you been helping me like this? And don't you dare say it's your _duty_. You never cared this much about your duty before, and I don't believe for a moment you really care about it now. So why would you go so far? Do you even realize what it is you've done? The elders think this is your baby. They think it's a branch baby, which means you'll be forced to take responsibility for it. I'll be there as much as humanly possible, but once I give birth, so long as this charade continues, I'll be forced to move back to the main house; and I can't bring my baby with me. You'll be expected, as the branch parent, to have it live with you, and, while I have no intention of dumping my baby on the branch house to raise, I won't be able to be there all the time. Do you understand that?"

"Of course." He seemed affronted, apparently annoyed that she thought he hadn't planned it all out already. "I plan on learning how to take care of a child properly, and I have quite a few aunts in the branch house that would be more than happy to help when neither of us can be there. We can both continue our careers as shinobi, and the baby will be fine. You needn't worry."

The sound she made in response couldn't be called anything other than a growl, and it served to surprise him further. That certainly wasn't a Hinata-like sound. "You still haven't answered my question. _Why_ are you doing all this?"

There was a long silence in which Neji carefully studied the ground, refusing to look at the frustrated girl in front of him. She was asking questions he couldn't truthfully answer. Questions he wouldn't answer. "You're my cousin, Hinata. Isn't that enough?"

It wasn't. It really wasn't anywhere near enough, but Hinata didn't pursue the issue further. First of all, Neji had just used her name without the usual added suffix, something he hadn't done since they were children. Second, even though he was obviously withholding something from her, she had heard the sincerity in his voice. His tone, the expression currently on his face, all of these things were very rare for Neji. She may not know why, but he was truly just trying to help her. She may as well accept it.

"Very well, let's get going then." She flashed him a shy smile. "I missed lunch, and I could really use a trip to Ichiraku's."

Neji watched her depart before following a respectful distance behind her, making the nearly five minute trip from one side of the large compound to the other. That had been... different. He had never known his demure, little cousin to be so forceful before. Suppressing a chuckle, he wondered if Hinata knew she hadn't stuttered during the entire conversation.

* * *

For those of you who were wondering how Neji was going to play into all of this: now you know. I'm aware I'm taking some liberties with how the Hyuuga clan works, but it's not like Kishimoto ever went into great detail about it. And throughout time, people were constantly knocking their servants or slaves up and producing illegitimate children. I just twisted it a little, taking into consideration that the branch house are still Hyuugas and Hinata is a girl. And most importantly: it's a fanfiction. I can do what I want. Now my thank yous.

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I had a **bad** week. Any and all reviews would seriously make my day, even if they're not good ones. I really want to know what you think, even if you hate it!


	5. With Your Stomach Hanging Out

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto there would be Byakuugan babies everywhere! So I guess it's not mine.

Last chapter's reviews made me really happy, thank you! I do have one small favor to ask of you all, though. I noticed some people thought the characters were kind of OOC. I'm really glad you told me, but could you tell me why you think that? Because it's really hard to judge my own writing, and I've been tearing my hair out trying to figure what changes I can make to improve my characters. If you meant Neji, did you think the parts where he was nice were off, or the part where he lost his temper? Because I've always seen Neji as having a randomly bitchy personality and a bad temper, but maybe that's just me. And if you meant Hinata, did you mean overall, or did you mean the part where she stood up to Neji? Because I've always seen her as having backbone when she really needed it, especially after Pein's attack on Konoha. But again, that's just me. So if you could sort of pinpoint it a little better, or even just say 'your characters are off all the time', I would really appreciate it. Thank you in advance. Oh, and since I never really pointed out the ages clearly...

Hinata- 17/going on 18

Neji- 19

Warnings: Language

* * *

_Tell me your secrets and ask me your questions,  
Oh lets go back to the start_

**_-_Coldplay_, The Scientist_**

* * *

**Chapter 4: With Your Stomach Hanging Out**

The first thing Hinata noticed about Neji's home was how clean it was. She knew Neji would be a neat person just as she was (it was impossible to be raised as a Hyuuga and not be), but this seemed a bit excessive, especially for a single young male. Either Neji had a rather severe case of OCD, or he'd scrubbed down his entire living space when he found out she would be moving in. She wasn't sure which one she preferred.

"I'm sorry it's so small," Neji said, coming up behind her, but she shook her head.

The cottage was rather small, one bedroom, a kitchen with a table and four chairs, one bathroom connected to the bedroom, and a small living room with a worn couch, armchair, and several bookcases filled with assorted reading material. It was nothing compared to the Hyuuga main house where she had always lived, but size wasn't everything. This place had a feel to it, a genuine, welcoming aura that made you feel truly at home the moment you stepped through the doorway. It was something Hinata had felt often when visiting friends, but never had she felt it in the Hyuuga compound before. It was nice. "I l-like it, niisan. R-r-really."

He offered her a small nod, noting with a bit of disappointment that her stutter had returned. Stepping by her, he carried her bag into the living room, hoping she really didn't mind the size. He doubted something like that would bother her, but even if it did, she'd never say a word.

"Niisan! You have a c-c-cat!" Hinata watched as the snow white cat slunk towards her, looking up at her with the most adorable green eyes. It took all of her self-restraint not to squeal.

"Yes, but be careful. He doesn't really like-"

Hinata bent down and scooped the willing kitty into her arms, cuddling it against her chest like a baby as it purred contentedly.

"-strangers," he finished lamely. Neji glared the cat's way as it nuzzled its face into Hinata's collar. Damn cat making him look stupid. Any other time he had someone over the little hellion would practically attack.

"Wh-what's his n-name, niisan?"

"Ah, that..." Neji felt a small flush creep up his cheeks. "Lee named him Fluffy."

Hinata blinked. "Oh." She looked down at the cat in her arms, scratching it gently behind the ears. "But... h-he's a shorthair. He's not r-really very fluffy at all." _And the thought of _you_ of all people having a cat named Fluffy..._

Neji frowned and his face reddened further. "I know." Then he couldn't help but smirk when the girl's stomach grumbled loudly and she turned red as a tomato. "Still up for that visit to Ichiraku's I see. Shall we?"

She gave him this look of pure shock, eyes widening as she lost temporary control of her stutter. "Y-y-y-y-y-y-" Pause, deep breath. "Y-you want to g-g-go w-with me?"

He frowned internally, though he kept his outward appearance blank. Was it really that surprising that he'd go to lunch with her? Had he honestly been that cold? He knew the answer to that without giving it much thought. It had been on purpose, after all. He had never expected to get so close to her, but the situation now called for it. It wouldn't do to be so stand-offish and impersonal when they were living together. When they were 'having a child' together. "Of course, Hinata-sama. In fact, it's my treat."

He truly liked the smile he received and the way she walked to the ramen stand next to him without hesitance.

"N-n-niisan, why do you smell like mint?"

"Hm? Oh, it's the cologne Lee uses. Some rubbed off when he was on top of me." What was she giving him that look for?

"Neji-niisan, you never t-told me you and Lee-kun were like _th-that_."

"..."

Wonderful.

_~To protect what's precious~_

Ino quirked her eyebrow at the pair standing in front of her. There were many occasions during her short lifetime where she had been shocked, yes, but never before had one caught her so off guard. Never before had she had that moment of 'I've seen many strange things, but this takes the cake.' Until now. "So let me get this straight. The father, like you told me to begin with, is in fact dead."

"Hai," Hinata confirmed.

"But because of stuff with your clan, Neji is pretending to be the father."

"Hai." This time it was Neji who answered.

"And even when you finally let everyone know you're pregnant, I have to keep it a secret that Neji isn't really the father. Because if your clan finds out, there will be problems."

They both nodded.

Ino stared a moment longer before forcing herself to take a deep, cleansing breath. It was none of her business if the ice prince had finally decided to open up to his sweet, younger cousin who he had once tried to kill... and pretend to have impregnated her. "Great! Well, I have to find your file since I misplaced it, so I'll be right back."

As soon as she had left the room, Neji turned to Hinata with a frown. "Why again didn't we just tell her I was the real father?"

Hinata shook her head immediately. "I already t-told you we can't, niisan. The r-reason she n-needs to know who the father is, is so that she can get a m-m-medical history for the baby. If she thinks you're the f-father, she can't get an accurate report, and if health issues ar-rise, that could be v-v-very bad for the baby."

Neji wasn't exactly sure he understood, but then, he wasn't the medic, she was. He should trust her judgment on these things. Besides, she was only doing what she thought was best for her child, he couldn't begrudge her that. He was just concerned.

"D-d-don't worry, niisan. Ino can keep a s-s-secret."

His scowl deepened, but he nodded all the same. Hinata had been doing that a lot lately, seeming to read his mind. He knew she had always been very perceptive with people, but she'd never been so astute when it came to him before. He supposed it was a side-effect of living with him for the past three weeks.

Admittedly, he hadn't expected suddenly sharing his small home with his cousin would go so smoothly. As soon as Hiashi had ordered it, a number of scenarios had played out in his head, none of them particularly good, but thus far things had been fine. Hinata had moved into his room after a brief argument ("Hinata-sama, you are _not_ sleeping on the couch, you are _pregnant_."), and he had taken to spending most of his free time in the living room where he now slept. Things had been a bit rocky at first. Hinata was constantly apologizing every time she made a noise or touched something, it seemed, but Neji did his best to take it in stride. After a few days, she began to lose her trepidation and just allowed herself to relax, making herself at home. From there things had only improved.

For instance, they realized they could both comfortably spend hours together on the couch, reading in silence, and Neji found her presence didn't bother him the way he'd expected it to. She was always careful to give him plenty of personal space, and he made sure to randomly say a few words to her here and there so she would feel less awkward. They actually coexisted quite peacefully.

Then, once Hinata realized Neji pretty much lived off of take-out and instant food since his cooking skills were... a bit lacking, she took it upon herself to prepare the meals. Neji would wake up to a light breakfast, the smells already permeating his small house, then after he'd eaten and gotten ready for the day, he would be sent off with a home-made bento for lunch. Once he returned home, usually quite late since he adhered to a strict training regimen, Hinata would be starting on dinner. And if the breakfast and lunch she made were good, dinner could never be described as anything other than a small slice of heaven. She would even always make sure there were leftovers in the fridge. That way, when he would come home after being away for a few days on a mission, he could just throw something in the oven and heat it up, whether it be the middle of the day or the middle of the night.

Furthermore, she had started doing all the household chores. She would clean, do the dishes, sweep the floors, do the laundry, including, much to his chagrin, his clothes. True, she had much more free time now that she was no longer training, but she still had regular shifts at the hospital. He was supposed to be taking care of her because of her 'condition', and instead he had it easier than he ever had before. He almost felt a little guilty.

A sigh. "All right, so who all knows the truth now?"

"Um..." Hinata pressed her fingers together, in that annoying, nervous gesture. Neji's arm twitched as he fought the urge to rip her hands away from each other. "B-besides Ino, just Kiba-kun and Shino-k-kun. But they w-won't tell either."

Neji grunted and felt his stiff shoulders ease a bit. Of course they wouldn't tell, they would never do a thing to hurt Hinata. He may not have ever particularly gotten along with the Aburame and the Inuzuka (he suspected this was because they still held a grudge from the Chuunin Exams when Hinata herself refused to), but he knew they would go to the ends of the earth for his shy cousin.

Ino came bustling back in again, chart in hand. "Okay!" she crowed happily, ushering Hinata over to lie down on the bed. "How have you been feeling?"

"Not bad." Hinata smiled softly at her friend. "The morning sickness is completely gone now, but I still get tired easily."

"That should pass soon."

Neji attempted to follow the conversation the two girls launched into, but it was filled with medical jargon he didn't understand. Deciding instead to tune them out, he slumped against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, a bored look overwhelming his sober features. How long did these appointments usually take anyway?

"Neji-niisan."

Looking up, he saw both girls watching him, Hinata looking worried, Ino almost annoyed. "Hai?"

"You don't h-have to stay, you know," Hinata said kindly, offering him a small smile. "I'm just fine on my own. Y-y-you can leave."

While the offer was tempting, Neji was more of a gentleman than that. "It's quite all right, Hinata-sama. After all, I want to make sure 'our' baby is healthy."

Ino raised an eyebrow at him and Hinata nodded hesitantly. He chose to ignore both. In truth, he didn't give a crap about the baby. It wasn't like he wanted something to be wrong with it, but he didn't really care if something was either. As long as Hinata was safe, that was enough for him.

The girls talked for a bit more, then Hinata removed her usual jacket and Neji found himself staring stupidly. How was she that big already? He had just seen her stomach three weeks ago. How could it have grown so much in so little time?

Ino patted the girls' abdomen fondly. "It won't be much longer before you can't hide it anymore. And you're going to have to start buying maternity clothes within the next few weeks."

As the blond started to roll Hinata's shirt up, Neji started away from the wall, eyes darting about, looking like a lost child. "Ah, should I, um, leave for this?"

Ino promptly made a face at him. "It's just her stomach, Neji, get a grip. You see mine all the time."

The Jounin blushed, realizing how stupid he must have seemed, especially when Ino did only roll the shirt up enough to expose Hinata's growing belly. He was not used to being embarrassed. "It's not my fault you choose to walk around half-dressed, Yamanaka."

Ino rolled blue eyes at him, a playful glint present. "Resorting to last names now, are we, Hyuuga? And don't be jealous of my beauty. You just wish you could walk around in an outfit like this."

"Like a whore?" Neji suggested.

She stuck her tongue out. "A man-whore in your case... right?"

"Wouldn't you like to... what are you doing?" The boy inched a step closer as Ino slathered a jelly-like substance on Hinata's stomach. That seemed very... odd to him.

"Niisan, c-come here." Hinata held her hand out to him and he came closer, absently taking it into his own, still staring at the jelly with confusion. "It's for the ultras-sound, niisan. So w-we can s-s-see the baby."

"Oh. That thing with the screen and all, right." He noticed Ino watching their connected hands curiously, but to his surprise the blond said nothing about it, though it was obvious she was dying to ask. Maybe he needed to give her a bit more credit after all.

The girls chattered for another minute, and he allowed his mind to wander freely, when he felt Hinata's small hand squeeze his own. "L-look, niisan."

He obeyed, laggardly dragging his eyes over to the screen... and couldn't help but stare stupidly.

"Doesn't it look much more human now?" Ino asked Hinata happily as the shy girl quickly agreed. Hinata's eyes were fixed on the screen, watching the small life that had grown so much so quickly, but Ino's eyes were locked on Neji. He had the most confused look on his face, like he couldn't comprehend what he was seeing, and she had to forcefully restrain herself from laughing. Apparently the actual meaning of being pregnant hadn't quite hit home for him until that moment. Like it was only now he truly realized that the growing lump on his cousin's stomach was actually a baby. Ino may not have done this for very long, but she knew it was a fairly typical reaction for men and even some women to have. It was just amusing as hell when the person was Neji.

He opened his mouth like he was going to say something, then immediately snapped it shut again when he looked over at his cousin. She was staring at the screen with rapt attention, a small, peaceful smile on her face, eyes glazed over in an emotion that couldn't really be described. And as Neji looked at her, his own eyes softened, a serene expression slipping into place as he smiled warmly at her, shifting his grip on her hand and interlocking their fingers. He was looking at her like...

Ino immediately focused her attention back on the screen, cheeks burning red. That... that had been unexpected. The way Neji looked at Hinata... She had never seen Hyuuga Neji look at anyone or anything in that way, and she felt as if she'd just intruded on a terribly private moment. But everything suddenly made so much more sense now...

"Is it a boy or a girl?"

She looked up into Neji's pale eyes, his usual stolid expression back in place, and willed away another blush. "I can't tell right now, gomen. The angle's all wrong... In about two weeks we can try again. Still hoping for a girl, Hinata?"

Hinata blinked, surprised at being addressed, and turned to her friend with a shy smile. "Not really. I thought it would be e-easier, you know, since I was going to be raising it myself. But s-s-since niisan will be there, either is f-fine. He would probably prefer a b-b-boy."

Neji's lips twitched a bit, and he shrugged. "I wouldn't prefer either. There are pros and cons to both outcomes."

Hinata's smile widened and she looked very pleased with this answer. That in turn seemed to make Neji pleased.

Ino finished up the appointment and Hinata excused herself to use the bathroom before they started home, leaving Neji alone with the tall, blond kunoichi. Ino wasn't particularly surprised when Neji turned a fierce look on her and made her promise on pain of death to keep the truth about the baby a secret. Nor was she surprised when he looked away uncomfortably and asked her for information on pregnancy and its different aspects. She just gave her word like a good little girl, answered a few specific questions, and handed him a multitude of helpful little pamphlets with a gracious smile. A smile which turned into a sly grin as she watched the Hyuuga pair leave the hospital together. Neji may have thought he had perfected his cold, impersonal mask, but she had seen through it. And she now knew the truth about a lot more than just the baby.

_~To protect what's precious~_

"Neji-kun, that lunch looks absolutely delicious! It is packed with all the necessary nutrients for you to gain energy and fully embrace your youth!"

"Thank you, Lee." Neji sat down in the shade of one of the many trees that graced the training grounds, bento in hand. Looking down at the assortment of perfectly prepared food, he had to admit, Hinata had really outdone herself this time. She must have been in a good mood that morning, seeing as how her cooking got more outstanding the happier she was. The one time her father had directly praised her, she had gone on a baking spree that had kept the entire compound fed with homemade cookies for a week. Not that anyone had complained.

"Yeah, what's up with that?" Tenten said suddenly, chasing memories of Hinata's chocolate chip, peanut butter delicacies from his mind. "Lately you've always got a bento for lunch."

Neji frowned, gracefully breaking apart his chopsticks. "I've always had bentos for lunch."

"No, you've always had _convenience store_ bentos," she corrected, opening her own up and settling down across from him. "You never used to have homemade ones, and I know you aren't making them yourself because your cooking's worse than Lee's. So who's been taking the time to make you such good food everyday?"

He huffed a bit, bringing a piece of shrimp up to his lips. "If you must know, it's Hinata-sama." He chewed the piece of seafood stoically, ignoring the incredulous looks his teammates and even his sensei were giving him. It was spiced just the way he liked it, not that he was surprised.

"Hinata?" Tenten repeated skeptically, as though she honestly didn't believe him.

"Hai, Hinata-sama." Ah, she'd put in shiitake mushrooms, his favorite.

"And why is she making you bentos all of a sudden?"

Damn, she put in some spinach again. He didn't care how good it was for him, he didn't like it. Of course, she had only put in a few bites worth, and only because she insisted it was healthy. And he could never throw a bit of her food away. "Apparently eating from the convenience store all the time isn't good for me."

"**That's Right!"** Gai suddenly cried in full exuberance, giving the usual blinding smile and thumbs up. **"Your diet is an important part of your Youthful-"**

Neji stopped listening right around there, vaguely hearing Gai's voice continue, followed by Lee's ardent cry of "Gai-sensei!" He stuffed the spinach into his mouth in two large bites, chewing just enough to swallow it down and making a bit of a face afterwards. It was the one vegetable he had never liked, though Hinata at least prepared it so he didn't want to throw up afterwards.

Tenten watched him carefully, a strange look still on her face. "That still doesn't explain why she's suddenly making you lunch all the time. I didn't realize you two even spoke to each other. The last time we all went out to eat you ignored her completely." There was a pause. "Even when she asked you a question."

Neji inwardly grimaced at the memory. Maybe he'd been a bit overzealous at times in his attempts to distance himself. "Your point?"

Tenten's eyes narrowed to slits and like lightening her chopsticks surged forward, stealing a piece of shrimp before he could sputter out a complaint. "My point is that you've apparently gotten awfully close to her recently. I was just curious as to- oh sweet Kami, that is amazing. She makes you this everyday?"

Neji couldn't help but smile just a little as he guarded the rest of his lunch, proud of his cousin's ability in the kitchen and feeling boastful that he got to experience that ability daily. "Dinner's even better."

Gai and Lee had officially turned their full attention back to the Hyuuga boy at that statement, Lee asking, "Hinata-chan makes you dinner as well?"

"Hn."

"Why?" Tenten demanded, obviously jealous of her teammates sudden good fortune in food.

"Why? Because she's moved in with me; and as you said yourself, I certainly can't cook."

He had to admit, he enjoyed their gaping.

* * *

Sorry the chapter's so short, I promise the next one will be longer. This just really felt like the best place to stop. Oh, and of course, Happy Halloween!

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Again, thanks so much for the reviews, they really cheered me up! Keep letting me know what you think!


	6. Dickless Pregnancies

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto there would be Byakuugan babies everywhere! So I guess it's not mine.

Hinata- 17/going on 18

Neji- 19

Warnings: Language

* * *

_First class and fancy free  
She's high society  
She's got the best of everything  
What could a guy like me ever really offer?  
She's perfect as she can be, why should I even bother?_

**-Everclear, _She's So High Above Me_**

* * *

**Chapter 5: Dickless Pregnancies**

Neji bit back a sigh as he split away from his team and entered the Hyuuga compound, exchanging polite greetings with the guards. He hadn't meant to tell them that he and Hinata were living together, but he'd been having so much fun he'd temporarily forgotten himself. He paid for it dearly, though, when Lee wouldn't let up on asking him question after question with Tenten only encouraging him. Furthermore, they refused to listen when he told them he was not dating Hinata, and she had only moved in because of certain circumstances he couldn't tell them about quite yet. Because he wouldn't tell them until he got Hinata's explicit okay.

The moment he entered his house, he could tell something was off. It was dead silent, the usual smells of dinner being cooked were absent, and even though the sun was setting, not one light was turned on, leaving the cottage unnaturally dark. For a moment he thought his cousin might be out, maybe her shift at the hospital had run over, but then he felt her chakra clear as day in the living room. Something was definitely wrong.

Absently kicking his sandals off, he took a few quick steps and found Hinata sitting on the couch in the dark, unmoving. If she was aware of his presence she made no acknowledgement, staring straight ahead of her at a blank wall. The whole scene was rather disturbing. "Hinata-sama? Is everything all right?"

Whatever trance she had been in snapped away, and she quickly looked towards him, eyes wide. "Neji... okaeri."

Neji felt his gut clench. She was crying. The tears were silent, but they were there, streaming wetly down her cheeks. "Hina-"

"Gomenasai, I didn't realize it was so late. I'll start dinner now."

As she stood to go into the kitchen, he caught her wrist, halting her movements. She froze and tensed up but made no move to either pull away or look at him. Just stared at the ground, swallowing thickly.

"Hinata-sama, what's wrong?"

She shook her head and this time did attempt to free herself from his grasp, but he held on firmly. Obviously she was upset, and he wasn't going to let her run away.

"What happened?"

She finally lifted her bloodshot eyes to his for the barest moment before lowering them again with a shuddering breath. "It's stupid."

"I doubt that." He rubbed his thumb gently across the back of her hand. "Tell me."

Another harsh breath. "It was just something at work... Shit, I haven't done this since I first started. It's completely unprofessional."

He didn't even blink at the curse word coming from her usually chaste mouth nor the unusual talk of professionalism. He didn't point out that she wasn't stuttering as she normally did. He just waited silently, face blank, eyes soft, hoping she would continue.

"It's just that I work with terminal cases often. You _know_ they're going to die, even though they're so young, and it's only a matter of time before they go. You just try and keep them happy for whatever time they have left..." She swallowed rapidly several times, fighting back more tears. "And even though it's hard, you get used to it. But then when you get one who isn't supposed to die, who's supposed to go home... It was just a simple surgery, she wasn't supposed to die!"

As the tears came again in full force, now accompanied by quiet, hiccuping sobs, Neji pulled the distraught girl into his arms, trying to comfort her. He understood vaguely what she had meant and what must have happened. She worked so often with children who were practically standing at death's door, and the way she managed to deal with that was because there were also children who came in sick and went home healthy again. Those children, the ones who went home, were almost like a source of hope. One of them had obviously passed on today, probably due to a simple mistake made by one of the doctors, and Hinata was taking it hard. Because it was one thing to lose a patient whose death you had already prepared for. It was a whole different story when you lose one who had no reason to die. Who was never meant to die.

Neji could grasp what she meant, but he could never really understand how she felt at the moment because he'd never lived through such an experience himself. All he could do was hold her quietly, offer whatever silent comfort his presence could give. He doubted it could count for much, but at least it was something.

At first, he felt the girl stiffen, like she didn't know what he was doing. Slowly, when she understood the simple hug for what it was, she allowed herself to relax, leaning into him more. Her hands fisted the front of his shirt tightly, and he knew she was using him as an anchor, that for a moment she needed him. A foreign emotion swelled in his chest at the thought and he pulled her tighter against him, threading one of his hands through soft, indigo locks. Everything about her was so soft...

Hinata was dimly aware that she was being crushed against her cousins' hard chest, that his strong arms were firmly wrapped around her, that his cheek was resting against the top of her head. She could feel and hear his heartbeat thudding solidly beneath his ribs as well as the steady sound of his breathing. She could smell the hints of sweat from his training along with mint again and a smell that was just plain Neji and always had been. And as her brain slowly allowed these things to filter through and her tears abated, eyes fluttering shut, she let herself be immersed in his warmth. It felt really nice.

Then, like a switch had been flipped, his hold became stifling. The pleasant scent of her cousin became sour, his warmth an unbearable heat, his even breathing harsh pants. Terror overtook her and it was all she could do not to scream. She had to get away, but her limbs wouldn't move-

When her eyes reopened, she and Neji were standing a decent distance apart, both hands planted firmly on his chest, holding him away from her. Willing herself to stay calm, she quickly took note of her surroundings, feeling her fast, erratic pulse slow back down to normal. Everything was okay. She was in her cousin's home, the only one there with her was him, she had full control over her body. She was okay, everything was fine.

"Hinata-sama?"

Neji was giving her a bewildered look, and she wondered desperately what exactly she'd just done. Obviously she'd pushed him away, but had she done it in anything resembling a sane manner? And had she said anything? Better to just try and play it off as best she could. "G-g-gomenasai, niisan. It's getting l-late. I should st-st-start dinner."

He looked for a moment as if he might say something more, but then with something of a resigned sigh he nodded and let her leave the room without complaint. She could feel his eyes on her back as she walked away, though, and mentally berated herself for losing her cool because of a hug. A simple, sweet gesture, meant specifically to comfort her, and she had panicked. Perfect. How was she ever supposed to have a relationship, get married, if she couldn't even stand that?

After the sounds of pots being rattled around in the kitchen filled the small cottage, Neji sank down onto the couch, a worried frown in place. He should never have done that. He hadn't meant to, but when he saw her crying... he couldn't stand to see her so upset. But it was a mistake. Obviously she wasn't comfortable with him touching her like that. How could he have been so stupid?

Admittedly, yes, he'd been able to stop her crying, and at first it had been okay; but then he had lost control of himself, holding her far too close, breathing in her scent, wanting to feel her against him. Stupid, selfish idiot. Of course that had bothered her. She'd suddenly flinched, as if burned, and then _whimpered_ of all things. He'd loosened his hold to look down at her, and the next thing he knew she was pushing him away almost frantically, trying to create space between them. If he didn't know any better, he'd say she was actually afraid of him...

No, that couldn't be right. She couldn't possibly he _afraid_ of him. At one time, yes, but that was years ago. Since then he'd never given her reason to fear him. There was no way... right?

No. Definitely not.

_But all the same, maybe it's best if I put a little more distance between us again._

He ignored the painful crunch he felt in his chest at the thought. He should never have started to get so close in the first place, and it was his own fault if he suffered now. What he wanted didn't matter, he would do what was best for her. Always.

_~To protect what's precious~_

"Isn't this one adorable?"

Hinata had never been happier that her family was rich than she was the day she had asked Ino to go shopping for maternity clothes with her. Because Ino, Hinata quickly discovered, really liked to shop. And if Hinata had been poor, she probably would have been crying right about now. Luckily she was a Hyuuga, one from the main house, and had mass amounts of money at her disposal. Though she felt a bit bad about spending it. She had, up until now, staunchly refused to use her clan's money for much of anything, preferring to buy it herself. She had just always hated the thought of relying on the people who considered her a failure.

Oh well, she was doing it for Ino as much as for herself. The blond was having the time of her life. Besides, Hinata felt she deserved at least something for all the shit she took from the elders. Reparations. In the form of cute, pink clothing. Why on earth were there so many bright colors in a maternity store? Even Naruto would be blinded if he came in here. Did they think all pregnant women were bright balls of joy?

"Hmm, what do you think of this?"

Hinata frowned at the overly cheery yellow and white monstrosity her friend was holding up. She was already dreading having to wear this stuff; but she was in her eighteenth week, and her clothes were getting much too tight and uncomfortable. "Don't they have anything in black?"

"Well, I can see someone's in a good mood today."

Hinata frowned more at that and did everything in her power to glare at the taller girl. Needless to say, it was somewhat lacking. In fact, it made Ino laugh her ass off.

"Gomen, gomen," she gasped between chuckles, "you just look so cute when you do that."

She looked cute when she when she was trying to be intimidating. Wonderful. No wonder she was such an awesome ninja.

"Hinata, come on," Ino said softly, putting the ugly shirt back on the rack and pulling her pregnant friend into a light hug. "What's wrong, you were fine earlier. Did something happen that I missed?"

Considering they'd been together the entire day, that was unlikely. Hinata sighed, rubbing her forehead tiredly, trying her best to give her friend a real smile. "Gomen, I j-just... I'm nervous about ton-night."

"Tonight?" Ino looked shocked. Hinata had told her that when the 'Konoha twelve' gathered for dinner that night, she and Neji were finally going to announce the good news. And it _was_ good news. "What are you worried about, Hinata? Everyone will be thrilled. Don't worry, I won't tell them the truth. I already talked with Kiba and Shino-"

Hinata's head popped up at the words. When the hell had Ino done that? She'd only told the blond just two days ago that her boys knew the truth as well.

"- and we all agreed to play it off as something that just happened. An accident. Because shit happens." She smiled down at her. "Don't worry, I'll gush about how adorable your little Byakuugan baby will be, and everyone else will follow my lead. No one will be upset, and no one will suspect anything."

Hinata didn't share Ino's positive outlook on the whole situation, certainly didn't have her confidence; but with a small sigh she nodded and proceeded to let her friend use her as a dress-up doll for the rest of the afternoon. If nothing else, at least this pregnancy had brought her much closer to Ino than ever before.

_~To protect what's precious~_

Neji sat on the couch reading that evening when he took notice of the time with a scowl. If they didn't get going, they would be late meeting everyone. Hardly becoming of Hyuugas. So with a sigh, he knocked on the bedroom door, listening intently for any sounds inside. "Hinata-sama? Are you about ready?"

She answered him, but it sounded more like a squeak than actual words. After another moment and the rustling of fabric, the door handle clicked as it turned and the door swung open to reveal the Hyuuga heiress. She was nervously pressing her hands together with even more force than usual, and her teeth were steadily gnawing on her bottom lip. It only took Neji a moment to realize that she was wearing white pants and a light lavender top that showed off the swelling in her abdomen, reminding him that she'd gone shopping with Ino earlier. He couldn't stop the mild quirk of his lips. She looked so cute. "Ready?"

She made another noise, nodding a bit, but her eyes were troubled. Neji kept both his face and voice impassive and asked, "What's wrong?"

A mutter too low to hear. A shake of her head.

"Hinata-sama, what's the matter? Are you nervous about telling everyone?"

She looked up then, seeming surprised he'd figured it out. "I... hai. I just... I d-d-don't w-want them to think the s-s-same thing the c-clan does. I d-don't want to t-t-tell them that."

Neji bit back a sigh of annoyance. He understood her hesitance, but there really wasn't any other choice in the matter. "They have to think the baby is mine. Three people knowing is already too many. It's not that I don't trust them, but if one of them slips, the elders _will_ hear about it. Telling them the truth is too risky."

She stared at him blankly for a moment before slowly shaking her head. "I... th-that's not what I meant."

Now it was his turn to stare.

"I just m-m-meant, I didn't want them to think th-that I ordered you t-t-to... I w-wouldn't e-e-ever order _anyone_ to d-do th-th-that when they didn't w-want to and-"

"Hinata-sama." She looked up shyly, almost scared, but Neji's face was just as calm as ever. "Gomenasai, we should have discussed this earlier. I suppose I shouldn't have assumed you were thinking the same thing I was."

She didn't say anything, but it was all too obvious she was confused. He did sigh this time, but the annoyance was more with himself than her. "I never intended to tell them that you ordered me to sleep with you." She turned bright red at the words. "If they delve into it, I'll simply say we were just... fooling around. Mutually. Just with no further relationship. Do you understand?"

Of course she understood, she was neither stupid nor a child, and it wasn't her fault she couldn't control her blush (which seemed to always give people the impression she was so very innocent). He was saying they should pretend to be sex friends pretty much, though she doubted he'd ever use those actual words. Simple enough. "Okay. A-arigatou, niisan."

He nodded and offered her a very small smile. "I would never tell people you had ordered something like that, Hinata-sama. Now shall we go?"

"Ah, hai! J-just let me get my coat."

Neji watched her retreat back into the room and emerge again pulling on her typical purple and beige jacket, nearly the same shade as her shirt. Her cute shirt. "Your clothes look nice, by the way. Why bother covering them up?" _Why do you always wear that stupid jacket?_

"Oh... um..." She picked at the zipper of the coat, pointedly looking away from him. Almost as if she were ashamed of something. "I don't want them to know before we t-tell them. I mean, they'd be able t-to tell just b-by looking at me..."

While that was true, it was an excuse for something more. Neji chose not to dwell on it for now, rather filing it away for a later date, and the two of them left the compound. They arrived at the restaurant (bar-b-que at Chouji's request) the same time as a boisterous team seven, and after watching Sakura punch a clueless Sai down the road, entered to find everyone else already there. They took their seats at the long table, Neji next to Hinata, and ate, doing everything they could to ignore Kiba and Ino's blatant staring. At least Shino had the decency not to gawk at them, obviously impatient for them to share the good news.

Of course, as the meal went on and they all chatted amicably amongst themselves, more and more of their friends were shooting them suspicious looks. At first Neji thought Ino had spilled the beans before they'd arrived, and he contemplated killing her for not being able to wait a lousy hour or so. Then he realized that they were looking at the two of them funny because they were not only sitting together, but also talking to one another in a polite, genial, and familiar manner; where at one time Hinata would have attempted and failed to string together an entire stuttering sentence to him, and he would bluntly ignore her. Now they nearly gave poor Naruto sitting across from them a heart attack when Hinata reached her chopsticks over and snatched up the last piece of meat from Neji's part of the grill. The blond looked like he was readying himself to stop Neji from attacking, and Neji just gave his cousin a small smirk, glad the food was agreeing with the baby.

Once the meal was over and Kiba and Ino were both practically squirming in their seats, Neji gave Hinata a small nudge and raised an eyebrow in question. However she wanted to proceed with this was fine with him; he'd do all the talking if she wanted him to, but she had to give him the signal first. He wouldn't tell everyone until he was sure that _she_ was sure. If she changed her mind and wanted to wait, too nervous to tell them yet, he would respect her wishes. Because it was her baby in reality and only his in lies.

Just as she'd bit her bottom lip and given him a tentative nod, Naruto stood up and called loudly, "Oi, who's up for hittin' the bar!"

With the exception of the now very frustrated Yamanaka and Inuzuka, everyone agreed happily to the idea, not willing to call it a night yet. After all, it was rare that all twelve of them were in town and free to spend the evening together. They should take advantage of such things when they could.

So they found themselves at their favorite shinobi bar, which of course was packed on the one night they wanted to go, but nothing could dampen their spirits. Naruto happily ordered a round of drinks for them all, and Hinata sidled up to the bar, quietly ordering juice for herself seeing as how she couldn't drink. Tsunade had said it best: Alcohol and babies don't mix.

It only took about a minute, of course, before her long-time crush noticed her lack of inebriating beverage and tried to get her to drink something harder. She had politely declined, glanced at Neji, taken a deep breath and then, "Ano... a-actually... there's s-something I wanted to t-tell you all."

How they had all heard her quiet mumbling over the loud music and shouts of the bar's other patrons she didn't know, but instantly eleven people's attentions were focused on her. She often wondered if over the years her friends had developed a special kind of sonar so that they would always be able to pick up her pathetically meek voice. Now blanching a bit under their scrutiny, she took a deep breath and subtly glanced at Neji once more, receiving a small, encouraging nod she hadn't been expecting. She could do this. "I'm pregnant."

The seven people who were hearing this for the first time all froze and stared in stunned silence, their minds not allowing her words to connect. She held her breath, getting more nervous the longer the silence stretched, and could see Kiba and Ino literally twitching, ready to jump in and do any necessary damage control. Even Shino looked tense, waiting for their friends' reactions. Hinata wished she could see Neji, but he was standing behind her and she was too afraid to turn around and look at him. She had his support no matter what, right?

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, one of her friends got over their initial shock, and no one was particularly surprised at who it was. "I believe in this type of circumstance a congratulations is in order. I'm not sure if it is considered impolite, but I would like to know who the father is. Normally I would assume you finally managed to land dickless, but seeing as how he's lacking the proper anatomy to impregnate you-"

He was cut off by aforementioned blond screaming at the top of his lungs, "Stupid Sai-bastard, I could impregnate Hinata-chan any day of the week!" for which Sakura promptly hit him over the head. And Hinata knew everything was going to be just fine.

Tenten squealed, the girliest sound Hinata had ever heard her make, and immediately asked how far along she was.

"Um... eighteen weeks-"

"Eighteen weeks!" Sakura screeched, eyes going wide. "That means you're showing already!"

Naruto and Lee both looked cluelessly at the pink-haired girl and asked in perfect unison, "Showing?"

"Let them see, Hinata," Ino insisted, giving her a sly smile, but the smaller girl hesitated, playing with the zipper of her coat. "Ano..."

A larger hand snuck up from behind her and pulled the zipper down before she could bat it away. She pouted a bit and turned to glare at Neji, but stopped the action immediately when she felt hands on her slightly rounded stomach. Looking down in surprise, she saw Sakura touching her, a small smile on her face. Tenten pushed Sakura's hands away so she could feel herself, and the boys were all staring at her stomach with undivided attention, even Shikamaru. She immediately wished she still had her coat zipped up to help hide her from their gaze.

All at once they started asking her questions and shouting congratulations, Hinata doing her best to smile and nervously thank them. Kiba and Ino had worked their way in now, making sure to be particularly enthusiastic to keep the others steered that way. Hinata would definitely have to thank them for their efforts later.

"Is it a boy or a girl?" Chouji asked curiously, putting a hesitant hand on her abdomen for a just a moment, obviously not wanting to leave it there for fear of being inappropriate.

"We should know in a few days," Ino answered for her, slinging an arm around her shoulders. "I'm her doctor."

"Ne, and the kid's still alive?" Shikamaru drawled, immediately bringing the wrath of his blond teammate down on him while Chouji tried rather unsuccessfully to keep the peace.

Naruto asked Sakura something along the lines of whether or not she wanted to have a baby, which got him promptly hit and lectured on the importance of propriety and not talking about certain things in certain places. Lee was... well, Hinata didn't know exactly what Lee was saying, though she caught several 'youthfuls' throughout it, and Tenten was wearily trying to make him give it a rest.

Sai just ignored them all, staring blankly at the Hyuuga girl's stomach. "I am still curious as to who the father is, if that is an appropriate thing to ask." He glanced once at his pink-haired teammate, apparently waiting to be hit for some wrongdoing, but it never came. Instead an odd hush fell over the group and they all looked at her, obviously sharing Sai's interest.

Hinata took a deep breath, fingers pushing together hard. "Ano... th-that is... um..."

The same treacherous hand that had opened her jacket before covered her smaller hands, stopping the movement of her fingers. She could feel Neji standing flush against her back, and his other arm came up, wrapping itself around her so his hand pressed firmly, possessively at the center of her swollen stomach. "I am."

If her friends had been shocked to find out she was pregnant, that was nothing compared to how they looked now. They were staring at the two Hyuugas like they had just announced the coming of the apocalypse rather than the coming of a baby. Slowly, Naruto licked his lips and asked, "You two are... dating?"

"No," Neji answered looking bored. Hinata could feel his body heat from behind her and wondered if he was really as calm as he sounded.

"Ah." Naruto nodded sagely, though he still eyed the pair warily. "So then...?"

Neji shrugged. "Accidents happen."

Hinata thanked Kami that Neji had decided to take the lead for now. There was no way she would be able to pull this off as easily as he was, she'd probably end up blowing the whole thing and their cover story would be ruined. Of course, even with Neji explaining everything away, their friends were still staring at them like-

"Well, if you're happy, we're happy for you!" Kiba suddenly cheered, and Naruto was quick to catch his enthusiasm.

"That's right! I'm really surprised... but hey, whatever, as long as you guys are happy! A round for the new parents!" Hinata watched the flurry as drinks were passed about, as a cheerful atmosphere sunk back into place. Naruto hefted his drink into the air and absolutely screamed, "A toast to Neji and Hinata's baby!"

A joyous cry went up from the rest of their friends, and nearly every shinobi in the bar was now zeroed in on the Hyuuga pair, having heard the blond loud and clear. Neither Hinata nor Neji had any doubt that by tomorrow the whole village would know.

With the exception of one little oddity, the rest of the night went off without a hitch. It happened when the girls were all chatting amongst themselves, Ino and Sakura both quite drunk, Tenten buzzed, and Hinata happily sipping her juice. Sakura was talking about her relationship with Naruto, furtively glancing over at him nestled among the group of boys to their right, apparently thinking about stepping things up a bit and moving in together. She was trying to get some advice on the subject, but unfortunately, none of the other girls could really help her. Hinata had never had a relationship, Ino had gone through too many too fast for her advice to be any good, and Tenten, "Sorry, Sakura. I only ever really dated Neji, and we know that didn't last too long."

As Sakura sighed and bemoaned their lack of help, Hinata saw it. Tenten was listening to the pinkette one second, and then the next her face fell and she looked absolutely horrified. Her brow furrowed and it was obvious she was thinking hard about something, before slowly turning very, very angry. Since Sakura was mostly just grumbling drunkenly, Hinata didn't understand Tenten's sudden change in mood. The pissed off expression stayed in place for a while, but the older girl managed to school it away and force a vaguely pleasant one instead. Still, Hinata could tell she was upset for some reason.

The night ended on a happy note, and everyone went their separate ways, most of them stumbling as they did so. Neji, Hinata noticed, seemed completely sober, but whether or not he really was she didn't know. She couldn't remember ever have gone drinking with him before. Not a surprise since he used to actively avoid her.

"Hinata-sama?"

"Hai?"

"How's your chakra been?"

She gave him a startled look, wondering why he'd ask about her chakra all of a sudden. "Ah... It-it's been f-faltering a lot more lately. Ino thinks once I g-get a bit farther along it will g-g-go out completely."

"I see." He looked down at her, and if she didn't know any better she'd say he was... amused. "And how is it right now?"

"N-now?" She quickly did a self-assessment, her face growing red at the results. "It's nearly non-existent right now. A p-p-pre-genin probably has more." Her blush got worse at her own words. "Why?"

"I was just curious. It's my job to protect you after all."

"Oh... right."

A minute later they reached the gates of the compound and Neji paused. "I have a quick errand to run, Hinata-sama, so you go on ahead. I'll be home shortly."

She frowned, not having the slightest idea what kind of errand he would have at nearly one in the morning, but nodded all the same. Whatever it was, it was none of her business. "O-okay, niisan. I'll s-see you soon."

Neji smiled lightly as she turned and went into the compound, knowing her words meant she would be waiting for him to return home. He couldn't believe how happy that made him. But first things first, "I know you're there, dog boy, you're not concealing yourself at all. The only reason she didn't notice you was because her chakra isn't working correctly."

There was a grumble of incoherent words, and Kiba jumped down from a nearby tree, Shino right behind him. At least Shino had hidden his presence well. Then again, Kiba was so drunk it looked like he could barely stand, though his eyes still held a certain sharp clarity. Neji smirked at them both. "I've been waiting for you to come threaten me."

Kiba growled, literally, and Shino remained impassive. For a moment there was silence, then Shino said evenly, "We want to make sure Hinata-chan doesn't get hurt."

"I know."

Kiba growled again, but in a different way. Neji had a feeling Hinata could probably decipher what the different sounds meant if he asked her. "Why are you helping her all of a sudden, Hyuuga? What do you want from Hina-chan?"

Neji's blank expression never faltered. "I promise I don't want anything."

"Then why are you doing this? There's no reason for you to help her."

"She's my cousin."

Kiba didn't seem to take this as a good reason any more than Hinata had. "Yeah? She was your cousin when you tried to kill her too."

Neji flinched ever so slightly at the words before relaxing and giving the dog-nin a bored look. Kiba didn't notice, but Shino did. And it gave him a great sense of relief. "You had better not hurt her, Neji-san."

Neji sighed in an annoyingly superior way and said off-handedly, "I would never hurt her."

"Yeah right," Kiba barked, sharp canines glinting under the streetlight. "You already-"

"I would never hurt her." The conviction in the words this time left no room for argument. "You don't have to tell me what I did before."

There was another silence, this one much longer, and finally Shino gave the Hyuuga a small nod. "I will hold you to that."

Kiba huffed a bit, obviously perturbed. "Hey, bug freak, you sure we can trust him with Hina-chan?"

Neji couldn't see Shino's eyes beneath the dark glasses, but he knew those eyes were staring directly into his own. He stared back, carefully keeping his expression neutral, but sure that Shino could see right past any defenses he put up. He felt vulnerable, knowing that the Aburame knew his true feelings, but at the same time he was almost glad for it. In all reality, he couldn't stand people thinking he would ever harm Hinata.

"Yes, Kiba, I'm sure. He will protect her."

Kiba gave one final growl and glare towards the older boy. "He better." Then he leapt off, leaving Neji and Shino alone. Shino gave the Hyuuga a final nod, which was returned, and took his own leave. For a moment, Neji stayed rooted to the spot, happy in some strange way to have gotten the acceptance of Hinata's most important people. Even if it had meant exposing himself to them.

But he could think about all of this later. Right now, Hinata was waiting at home for him, and he knew she wouldn't go to bed until after he returned, not after the cryptic way they had parted. If he took too long she would worry, and he didn't want that. Though the fact that she would get worried over him... he truly couldn't think of anything in the world that could be better.

* * *

And another chapter down. But not to worry! There's more Neji/Hina goodness on the way.

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	7. For Your Precious Person

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto there would be Byakuugan babies everywhere! So I guess it's not mine.

Hinata- 17/going on 18

Neji- 19

Warnings: Language

* * *

_Fate is an elegant, cold-hearted whore  
She loves salting my wounds  
Yes, she enjoys nothing more_

**-The Spill Canvas, _Polygraph, Right Now_**

* * *

**Chapter 6: For Your Precious Person**

Just as Hinata had predicted, the whole village knew by the next day that she was pregnant. This included the nurses in the pediatrics ward, who apparently didn't know how to keep their gossip quiet from the children. So when Hinata walked in for her shift at noon, a dozen small hands immediately grabbed at her, smiling faces asking breathlessly if she was really going to have a baby. This had resulted in her spending nearly ten minutes letting the children touch her rounded belly and answering different questions they had about pregnancy and giving birth (a few of which she had to tactfully steer away from).

She worked her eight hour shift and offered to stay longer since they were short-handed, but was immediately shooed away. No one was about to let a pregnant woman work more than she already had, so she leisurely made her way home, deciding to stop and eat somewhere rather than cook that night since Neji was gone on a mission. She opted for ramen, paused and found the baby agreed with her choice, and headed for Ichiraku's. When she got there she was pleasantly surprised to see Lee and Tenten.

"Hinata-chan!" Lee crowed the moment he spotted her. "What are you doing out so late on this fine evening?"

Hinata smiled wanly at Lee as she took a seat and didn't bother to point out that eight o'clock really wasn't that late. "I just got d-done with my shift at the hospital, so I th-thought I'd get some dinner."

"Oh? Shouldn't you be home cooking for Neji?"

Hinata raised an eyebrow at Tenten in surprise. Not really from the question itself, but more from the way she had asked. Like she was annoyed by something. "Ah, n-niisan is on a mission."

"For ANBU?" Lee asked excitedly, and Hinata nodded. She liked how the fact that Neji was even _in_ ANBU was supposed to be a secret; and how the Konoha twelve had thrown him a congratulations party the day after he had been accepted.

"Niisan?" Tenten laughed, but it was far from a kind or happy sound. "You still call him that after you've slept with him?"

Hinata paused, a bit startled by the callous words and scorn in the older girl's voice. "I... it... i-it's more of a n-nickn-name than anything else. I've j-just called him that s-s-since we were children." _And I also never really slept with him..._

"Heh." Tenten took a sip of her drink, eyes cold as she observed the Hyuuga girl. "So exactly how long have you and Neji been screwing each other?"

Lee gave his teammate a look of pure shock, and Hinata blanched a little, starting to feel very uncomfortable. "Ex-excuse me?"

"Well, that is what you were doing right? Screwing? Because Neji said himself last night that you two were never really dating." She offered the smaller girl a sweet smile, but it was obviously fake. "What's wrong? Can't you get a real boyfriend, Hinata-chan? Is that why you decided to fool around with Neji?"

"Tenten!" Lee admonished, looking very angry with the leering brunette. "That is not appropriate conversation, nor is it any of your business to pry into the lives of our friend and teammate."

Tenten didn't even bother to glance his way. "Relax, Lee, it's not like I'm saying anything that isn't true. Right, Hinata-chan?"

"W-w-well... I..." Hinata felt like she wanted to cry. Why was Tenten being so mean?

"Though it is kinda sad you couldn't just _wait_ until you had a real boyfriend. I mean, normally only whores wouldn't be able to control themselves, right?"

Lee looked absolutely horrified and Hinata felt a little sick to her stomach. Why would her friend, Neji's friend, do this?

"Um..." Hinata looked up to see Ayame watching at her apprehensively. "Sorry to interrupt... Did you want to order something, Hinata-san?"

Hinata opened and closed her mouth several times, but no sound came out. Finally, "Sumimasen, Ayame-s-san, but I h-have to be g-going now." The girl jumped down from her stool, ignoring how her pregnancy made that a bit awkward, and took off after shooting once last glance Tenten's way. The girl was smirking maliciously at her, and she didn't understand.

She heard Lee call out to her to have a good night, but her mind didn't really register the kind gesture, too stuck on Tenten's odd behavior. Odd, hurtful behavior. _Shit. Is that what everyone thinks? That I'm a whore?_

She shook her head, immediately dismissing the idea. Maybe some other people did think that, but not everyone. Hinata was positive Ino didn't think that way, knew her boys didn't think that way. With the way Lee was looking at Tenten, she was pretty sure he didn't think that way. Naruto had been too genuinely happy the night before to think that way.

She made herself calm down and take a deep breath. Even if some people did think that, not everyone did. She still had friends on her side no matter what. She still had Neji on her side no matter what. She smiled. That's right, she always had Neji.

Besides, she would do whatever it took to keep her baby safe, even if that meant being called a whore. There were a lot worse things she could be called, after all. It was just surprising how much those words hurt when they came from a friend.

Unfortunately for her, things didn't get much better the next day. She slept horribly, nightmares plaguing her relentlessly, so when she woke she was already in a bad mood and still exhausted. Her shift at the hospital started at seven, and it was a rough day. For some reason they seemed inundated with children with broken bones and cracked skulls.

Then, when she was in the middle of healing a boy's fractured arm, her chakra had decided to take a nosedive and completely sputter out, forcing her to stop half-way. This in turn caused some slight (and she did mean slight because she'd already numbed the whole area) discomfort for the boy, and just her luck he was a whiny little brat. His mother had had a fit when her kid started complaining of being in 'unbearable pain', and went on a rampage about how incompetent the hospital staff was. Hinata, too tired to put up any sort of defense, had simply allowed the woman to berate her until Tsunade-sama herself had appeared out of nowhere. She'd personally fixed the boy's arm and sent the mother a withering glare, asking in an overly nice voice if the woman had a complaint with any of her staff. Then she'd sent Hinata home two hours early, assuring her that she wasn't being punished, she just obviously needed some rest. Hinata was torn between being ashamed of herself and grateful towards the Hokage.

That was when the worst part of Hinata's day came waltzing out of the compound just as she reached it. Hanabi turned to her older sister with a sneer and said, "Hello, neechan, how are you?"

Hinata sighed and said wearily, "I'm f-f-fine, imouto. And yours-self?"

"Oh, I'm okay. Heard something weird in the market earlier, though."

"Oh?" Hinata wasn't sure she wanted to know where this was going. Things rarely went well when her sister decided to talk to her, and with the obnoxious little smile she had on, there was no doubt in her mind this time would be no different.

"Hai. Something about you and getting knocked up." Hanabi batted her eyes prettily at her older sister and gave her a fake pout. "Neechan, why didn't you tell me you were pregnant?"

Hinata scowled. So that's where the brat had been going. She should have expected this. "G-gomenasai, imouto, it must have sl-slipped my m-mind. Well, now you know."

She attempted to make a clean getaway but only made it a few steps when Hanabi said condescendingly, "So I heard it was Neji's. Really, neechan? Stooping so low as to fuck a _branch house_ member? Even you could do better than that."

Something inside Hinata snapped. Without thinking twice, she turned and pinned her startled sister to the fence surrounding the compound, wrenching her arm painfully behind her back and smashing her face into the wood unforgivingly. She had absolutely no chakra at her disposal, but it didn't matter, she didn't need it. She'd already gotten Hanabi pinned and could use the angle and her superior weight to keep her in place. And if Hanabi struggled too much and tried to get out of this particular hold, she would snap her own arm in two. She wasn't going anywhere, something the younger girl quickly caught onto. "What the _hell_, Hinata?"

"Let's get one thing straight," Hinata hissed, sick and tired of her sister's superiority complex. "I don't care what you say about me, I never have. You go around with your nose in the air and keep telling yourself how wonderful you are, how much better you are than me. Whatever makes you happy, _imouto_." She leaned close so she was whispering directly into Hanabi's ear now. "But I _will not _tolerate you speaking down about Neji-niisan. He is your cousin, your elder, a jounin and ANBU, and he has earned your complete respect. So you had better pray that I never hear you've spoken of him in that manner ever again, are we clear?"

Hanabi nodded, scratching her own face against the rough wood, a frantic look in her eyes. "H-hai, neechan, we're clear. I won't do it again."

"Good." Hinata released her little sister, watching as the girl slowly turned, still looking terrified. Apparently having your sweet, older sister, who's never even contradicted you before, suddenly attack you when you always thought they were weak and harmless was a scary experience. Hinata just smiled brightly before chirping, "Have a lovely day, Hanabi-chan," and bouncing away, completely ignoring their old aunt who was standing there frozen after having come out and witnessed the whole thing. She was just too damn tired to care.

The Hyuuga heiress managed to take a short nap before another nightmare woke her, and she found herself not wanting to sleep anymore, despite how tired she was. So instead she started making dinner a good two hours earlier than she usually did, purposely choosing a recipe she normally didn't bother with because of its time-consuming preparation.

Just as she was finishing up, a hand fell onto her shoulder with no warning, making her yelp and spin around, kunai in hand. "Niisan!"

"Gomen," the startled boy said immediately when he realized he'd scared her. "I thought you would have sensed me. Your chakra's not working again?"

Hinata snorted, turning back to stir the pot on the stove. "Not at all, it's disg-gusting. H-h-how was your mission, n-niisan?"

"Oh, it was all right. Uneventful luckily."

"Th-that's good. Well, you c-can go take a bath. Dinner will be r-r-ready when you're d-done."

"In a minute."

Blinking in surprise, she turned to see Neji giving her the strangest look. Like she was a complex puzzle he just had to figure out. "Niisan? I-is something wrong?"

He stared for a moment longer. "Hinata-sama... did you attack Hanabi?"

"Ah." Hinata felt her face light up like a Christmas tree and pointedly turned back to her cooking. "Well, I wouldn't r-really call it 'attacked'. More I j-just... made sure sh-she didn't leave while I helped her s-see the error of her ways."

"And how did you do that?"

"I pinned her to a fence."

Neji's eyebrows raised, but he showed no other outward signs of surprise. "I see. And why did you find the need to suddenly do all this?"

"I-I... it's s-s-stupid really. I don't w-want to talk about it." There was no noise for at least a minute and she actually thought Neji must have left the room to wash up until he said, "Hinata-sama if there's something-"

"Look, I was having a bad day all right?" the girl snapped, slamming the wooden spoon she'd been holding down onto the stovetop. "Last night Tenten called me a whore, I got absolutely no good sleep, I messed up at work because my chakra completely disappeared, I got sent home early, and then that little brat just had to go and run her mouth off about you. I know I shouldn't have done it, and I know it was risky for the baby if she'd managed to hit me, but I was so fed up with _everything_. So excuse me if I lost my temper a little bit."

The silence after her outburst was deafening, and she found herself slowly feeling very silly for suddenly acting like that. Especially since Neji was staring at her stupidly, like she'd just grown not one but three extra heads. Finally, "Hanabi was talking about _me_? That's why you... helped her see the error of her ways?"

"I... m-maybe." The girl bit her lip and carefully studied the ground, too embarrassed to look him in the eye. "You've been so g-good to me, niisan, and... and I don't think it's r-r-right to let anyone t-talk about you. Esp-pecially Hanabi. She has n-n-no right to... to..." Okay, she was rambling and sounding stupid and she knew it. But she couldn't really explain how she felt. She didn't truly understand it herself. She just knew that when Hanabi had started talking bad about Neji, she had lost it. Had _needed_ to defend him.

"Hinata-sama, there's no need for you to fight with your sister over me." He gave her a small, kind smile. "I'm not worth the trouble."

"B-but that's just it, you a-a-are worth the trouble. After..." After what? After he'd been helping her? No, it wasn't just that.

He smiled again and reached out to pat her on the head like a small child. "You don't have to worry about repaying me for anything, cousin. I'm only doing this because I want to help you."

"And I only stood up to Hanabi on your behalf because I wanted to. Your helping me aside, you're one of my most precious people."

The hand resting on top of her head tensed, and she looked up to see him staring intensely at her face, lips slightly parted. The last time he'd looked at her like this was their fight during the Chuunin Exams, but this... this was different. There was no hatred in those eyes this time, his silvery pale orbs smouldering with something else. Something she couldn't place.

The hand slowly trailed downwards, running thin fingers delicately through the length of her indigo hair, the intimate motion making her shiver. He repeated the action several times, eyes drawing her in, refusing to let her go. Her breath hitched when his hand came to rest on her cheek, she could feel her own heartbeat pounding in her chest, hear it thumping in her ears. She couldn't think, couldn't move, couldn't blink as he leaned forward slowly, closer, closer, as his hot breath hit her face, her lips. So close...

As if waking from a genjutsu, Neji's eyes took on a sudden clarity, and he immediately veered away from his intended destination. Pressing a quick, chaste kiss to the girl's forehead instead he murmured, "Thank you, Hinata-sama," before retreating.

Hinata's breath came back to her with a sudden whoosh and she felt her knees go weak. Allowing herself to sink down to the ground, she leaned her back against a counter, trying to figure out what the hell had just happened. Neji had almost kissed her. _Neji_ had almost _kissed_ her. But more than that... she had _wanted_ him to kiss her. She had been given ample time to push him away, to make him stop. Instead she had gotten excited, waited for it to come. She could still feel her heart fluttering rapidly against her ribs, pulse still going a mile an hour. What the _hell_ did this mean?

Neji filled the tub with hot water before sitting on the toilet seat and just staring at the steaming mass. _Baka! How could you be so stupid?_

He had promised himself he would try and maintain some distance between himself and Hinata. He had sworn after last time he wouldn't do anything like that again. And what had he gone and done? Only tried to kiss her, that's all. He buried his face in his hands. What the hell was he doing?

Of course, Hinata's reaction hadn't escaped him either. It was most definitely different than when he'd held her before. She hadn't pushed him away, hadn't made any sort of complaint. Quite the opposite, she'd seemed completely willing. But then, hadn't it started out that way the first time?

Neji knew he shouldn't be risking everything he'd worked towards on a hunch that maybe Hinata felt something for him. Because if he was wrong, and she looked at him as only a friend and cousin, everything would be ruined. She would never trust him again, wouldn't want his help. He had promised himself he would do what was best for her, promised her teammates he wouldn't hurt her. And he knew he didn't deserve her. But...

He groaned into his palms, completely confused and feeling like a fool. He didn't know anymore what he should do.

_~To protect what's precious~_

Neji had decided, after seeing how sporadic Hinata's chakra was being, that it was time to take leave from ANBU and any missions that would take him out of the village. He didn't plan on sitting around and watching her all day, but he didn't want to risk being gone days or even weeks at a time anymore either. She was vulnerable right now, and she would also be getting bigger and exhibiting more of the uncomfortable signs of pregnancy. He wanted to be around to help her and be close enough that he could return to her immediately if there was a problem. Even if that meant spending most of his time on guard duty at the gate or taking shifts in the mission room, jobs normally reserved for chuunin.

Now, however, he was completing one final mission out of the village with Team Gai. It should only take about two days, but even so he couldn't help but feel a bit apprehensive. When he'd left Hinata she still had absolutely no chakra whatsoever, and this set him a little on edge. Well, that and the fact that Tenten was being... a bitch.

He didn't like to call her that, and she very rarely was one, but right now she was acting like it. It was all too apparent, even Lee and Gai had noticed, and Neji honestly couldn't think of what he had done to deserve the cold treatment she was giving him. After about an hour of her glares and harsh words, something else came to mind, something he hadn't thought much about because of all the other shit that was going through his head. Hadn't Hinata said Tenten had called her a whore?

That seemed very out of character for his teammate, but he could think of no reason why Hinata would lie. And given Tenten's current behavior... something was obviously up. Something that was clearly bothering one of his best friends, and he felt it was time to find out what exactly that something was and fix it. So when they stopped to eat he felt it was the perfect opportunity to have a little chat. "Tenten?"

"Yes, Neji?"

"What's wrong with you?"

Tenten glared at him from across the small clearing they were sitting in, then slowly fixed her brown eyes on the bento in his hands. "That looks like a very nice lunch, Neji."

One eyebrow raised. "Yes, it is."

"Does it taste good?"

Two eyebrows raised. "Yes, it does."

"I'm glad. Did she spend a lot of time making it?"

Neji pursed his lips. "This is about Hinata-sama."

"Why yes, it is."

"You're jealous."

The girl's hackles immediately raised and if looks could kill Neji would have been dead ten times over. "No, I'm not jealous of Hinata-_sama_. I was happy that you'd at least found someone to fuck around with."

Neji felt himself tense a bit at the words, sharply reminding himself that she was supposed to think he had fooled around senselessly with Hinata. "Then I'm afraid I don't understand why you're acting like this." He did his best to ignore the two green-clad shinobi who were pretending not to listen in.

Tenten laughed, and it was a very bitter sound. "Our relationship wasn't going anywhere, Neji, and I knew that. That's why I wasn't upset when you broke up with me... three months ago."

Neji continued to wait, not understanding what the problem was. If she had realized, as he had, that they were better off as friends, why was she behaving this way now? It was completely irrational.

"It was only three months ago that you two broke up?" Lee asked suddenly, no longer feigning ignorance to the situation. And he looked absolutely shocked for some reason.

"That's right," Tenten spat, "three months ago."

Neji just kept staring, though he was now acutely aware of the somewhat horrified and disgusted looks he was getting from his male teammate and sensei. He still didn't understand what was going through their minds. What did his 'relationship' with Hinata have to do with this? And what was the whole 'three months ago' thing about, what difference did that make?

"I'll admit, I didn't even catch on right away." Tenten actually looked like she might start crying now. "You could have just ended it sooner, you know. I would have preferred that to..." She bit her lip and looked away, eyes misty. Neji had the strongest urge to try and comfort her, but he was apparently the reason she was upset in the first place. And he still didn't know why.

"Neji, how could you?" Lee demanded.

Neji stared helplessly.

"How could you cheat on our dear Tenten?"

Neji was never more grateful for his years of practice at schooling his emotions, because he couldn't even begin to imagine the expression he would have had otherwise. Cheat? He would never cheat on anyone, especially not Tenten. The whole idea was low-class and far beneath him. She'd said herself, several times, he broke up with her three months ago. He'd only started his 'relationship' with Hinata a little over a month ago so... _Oh shit_.

For a supposed genius, Neji suddenly felt very, _very_ stupid. How could he have been so careless? Hinata was now in her fifth month of pregnancy. A pregnancy everyone thought he had caused. A pregnancy that was conceived when he was still dating Tenten. How could he have missed that when he was planning everything out?

"Tenten... I'm very sorry..." Shit, how was he supposed to fix this? No wonder she was so angry with him.

"Oh, save it, Neji! I don't want to hear that you're sorry!"

Fuck, she was crying. What should he do? "Tenten... really, I-"

"Just shut up, Neji! I don't want to hear it!" She took off then, leaping up into the trees. Neji watched her go feeling sick to his stomach, debating whether or not to go after her. She was one of his dearest friends, and he'd hurt her. He really didn't think she should be alone...

"I am very disappointed in you, Neji. This is not something I would expect from my eternal rival."

Neji turned his gaze to Lee, only to find the junior Green Beast was also glaring at him. Neji had never seen such a cold, angry look on Lee's face before. "Lee..."

Lee scoffed, _scoffed_ at him before leaping into the trees and following after Tenten. Neji watched him go and felt his impersonal mask slowly slip away, so he hid his face in his arms. Fucking shit, he was such an idiot. How could he have made such a mistake? How could he hurt his friends like this?

"**Ah, Neji-kun. Youth can bring about many mistakes..."**

Oh dear _Kami_ he was not in the mood to listen to this. "Gai-sensei... _please_... not now." His face moved to his hands. He needed to think of what to tell Tenten and Lee when they got back. How he was going to explain himself. He couldn't tell them the truth, but he needed to think of a lie that would best soften the blow. And preferably one that would place most the blame on him and not Hinata. He didn't want them to hate him, but even more, he didn't want to bring this trouble to Hinata. He was supposed to protect her, dammit. Supposed to help her, not make things more difficult.

"Neji."

He blinked. Gai had just spoken to him in a very serious tone. It was... odd. Hesitantly, he peeked out at the man between his fingers.

"Something tells me that you are carrying the burden of a heavy secret on your shoulders."

Neji flew into an upright position at that, eyes sharp. How the hell had _Gai_ of all people figured that out? Was he really that obvious?

"It has been my experience that keeping such secrets will only bring more harm than good. You should let the truth be free before things get out of hand."

Neji's lips twitched, despite the situation. Let the truth be free, huh? If only he could. "Unfortunately it's not that simple. But thank you anyway."

Gai didn't seem deterred. "Neji, I truly-"

"Gai-sensei, it's not that I don't want to tell the truth." It wasn't that at all. If he could just tell Tenten the truth, let her know that even if their relationship hadn't gone anywhere he had still respected it and her, she wouldn't be angry any longer. She would feel better about him and herself, Lee would be okay because Tenten was okay. Really, if he told the truth neither of them would have any reason to be mad at all, except maybe that he hadn't just told them right away. But... it was too risky. If the elders found out, if Hinata was demoted down to the branch house... His fingers ran lightly over the leaf insignia on his forehead. "Some secrets need to be kept. Especially those that protect others."

For a moment his old sensei looked him over searchingly, for what, Neji didn't know. Then he said rather softly, "When you were first assigned to my genin team, I was rather wary of you. You showed promise of being an excellent shinobi, but you were consumed by your hatred of your own clan; and you refused to let anyone close enough to help you. Then when you fought your cousin during the Chuunin Exams, when you truly desired her death, I thought that you were finally lost to us." He smiled. "I am very glad to say that I was wrong. You have turned into not only a fine shinobi, but a fine man as well."

Neji had always known deep down that if the situation ever called for it, Gai could be a completely calm, rational, _normal_ person. That didn't help stem his surprise when it actually happened. He was so busy gaping incredulously at the man, checking surreptitiously for genjutsu or henge, that it took him a moment to register the words. And when he did, he found he felt... better. Surprisingly better. He had never really strove for the approval of his sensei the way so many shinobi did, certainly didn't care about Gai's opinion the way Lee did, but when you got right down to it, what his old sensei thought of him still mattered. He may never act like it and wouldn't admit it on pain of death, but it did. So it felt good to hear those words of praise. "Arigatou, sensei."

Gai nodded and said with an almost sly smile, "So the person you're protecting... they are precious to you?"

The Hyuuga paused at the words, a far-off look in his silvery orbs. He thought of long, indigo hair, pale, lavender eyes, a soft, supple body, a sweet, hesitant voice. He thought of a small hand enveloped in his, of a smile given only for him. He thought of a kind, giving person who should hate him for what he'd done, but instead, _"I only stood up to Hanabi on your behalf because I wanted to. Your helping me aside, you're one of my most precious people." _

Precious.

"Hai, sensei. The most precious."

Gai nodded once more, shutting his eyes and taking a deep breath. When they snapped open again, he gave his trademark good guy pose complete with thumbs up and overly bright smile, catching his student off-guard and making him jump in surprise as he was temporarily blinded. **"YOSH! There is nothing more Valiant and Youthful than protecting the ones who are dear to you! I may not agree with your methods, but it is a Noble effort nonetheless! Now let us make Haste to find our missing comrades!"**

As he watched the spandex-clad man leap into the trees through still blurry eyes, he was amazed at how fast the man could turn from an intelligent sounding, mature jounin to the odd creature he had come to know as his sensei. With a sigh, he repacked the lunch Hinata had made for him and shouldered his pack, taking off as well. He didn't know how to handle the situation with Tenten other than to go along with what she already thought and impress to her how sorry he really was. Maybe if he worded things right he could insure that most of the blame would fall onto him and not poor Hinata. Other than that, though, there really wasn't much he could do.

Taking a deep breath as he approached the rest of his team, he steeled himself for whatever was to come. He needed to do this. Like he'd said, he was protecting his most precious person. And he would do anything to achieve that goal.

* * *

Sorry this chapter took a bit longer to get out, but there you go. Getting a bit more insight into Neji's thoughts now along with why Tenten was upset last chapter. And this wasn't in any way meant to be Tenten bashing for the record. I wasn't trying to make her seem overly bitchy or anything, she's just hurt and lashing out. Anyone put into an even mildly similar situation would understand that, and I'll go into it a bit more later. But I don't hate Tenten and I wasn't trying to make you hate her either.

And though it's a few days early, Happy Thanksgiving to all!

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So many awesome people like my story! It seriously makes me feel good about my writing, so don't stop telling me what you think!


	8. Princess

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto there would be Byakuugan babies everywhere! So I guess it's not mine.

So this took a little longer to get out than I thought, but here it is. I know it's pretty short, and I apologize. I promise the next one will definitely be longer.

Hinata- 17/going on 18

Neji- 19

Warnings: Language

* * *

_"It hurts to love someone and not be loved in return, but what is the most painful is to love someone and never find the courage to let the person know how you feel."_

* * *

**Chapter 7: Princess**

"_Watch out!"_

_Kiba heard Hinata's warning cry and ducked away from the blow just in the nick of time, driving his own kunai up through his opponent's jaw and into his brain. For just a moment the man's eyes bulged in surprise before he slumped over, dead._

_Hinata sighed. She was sure Kiba could have taken the man on by himself no problem, but it still made her nervous. She wished he wouldn't be quite so reckless. _

"_Thanks, Hina-chan," he practically sang, retrieving his kunai and making a face at the blood that had splashed his clothes, mumbling something about the smell. _

_Hinata offered him a shaky half-grin, looking over the four corpses that littered the clearing. Shino was bent, examining one in an orderly fashion. "Rock-nin." _

"_No, they _were_ rock-nin," Kiba said sagely, sounding mildly intelligent for a change. "Now they're missing-nin. Or at least they were before we killed them." _

_Shino made a noise of agreeance, standing and absently straightening his coat. "The lab is supposed to be somewhere a few miles east of here. Let's go." _

_Kiba gave something similar to a war-cry and bounded off with Akamaru at his heels. Shino rolled his eyes beneath dark glasses, telling the Inuzuka once again to be quiet. As she watched their familiar antics, Hinata smiled. _

_~To protect what's precious~_

Hinata hummed softly to herself as she folded the laundry from the basket in front of her. She kept pausing randomly to rub her ever growing stomach, smiling down at it fondly as if it was the baby itself and she didn't still have another five months of pregnancy left. It had been such a wonderful day so far.

Scooping up a pair of Neji's blue boxershorts, she giggled a bit as she thought of the first time she had done laundry. She didn't think she'd ever seen Neji so uncomfortable and embarrassed before. The man had actually blushed when he realized she'd washed his underwear. She rolled her eyes at the memory. It wasn't like he wore lacy thongs or something equally as humiliating... and in his case disturbing. A pair of boxers were not enough to bother Hinata. And if it didn't bother Hinata, chances are it shouldn't bother anyone.

The front door opened, and after a brief pause Hinata called out cheerfully, "Okaeri, niisan," thinking about how she'd get him to say 'tadaima' at least once before she gave birth. "I h-have something to tell y-you." She listened to the sound of him taking off his sandals and frowned at the lack of response. Even when he was dead tired or in a sour mood, he'd always at least grunted at her. Something was very wrong. "Niisan, are you all right?"

He stepped into the room, dropping down next to her on the couch with a look of utter defeat on his face. "Tenten is sickened by my very existence, and Lee isn't too far behind her."

Hinata froze, boxers in the air. Tenten... she had almost forgotten all about her confrontation with the older girl at Ichiraku's. So she wasn't angry with just Hinata but Neji as well? "Wh-what happened?"

"She thinks I cheated on her."

Hinata's eyes widened, stunned by the accusation. "With who?" She couldn't picture Neji cheating on anybody with anybody, ever. The act was so unlike him, he cared far too much for honor.

The older Hyuuga gave the girl a look that clearly said 'Really? Did you really just ask that?' and she felt her face heat up. "O-o-oh. You mean she th-th-thinks you cheated on her w-with me."

He gave her a tired nod, shutting his eyes and sinking back into the soft couch cushions. The mission had been absolute hell. One would think that having your teammates simply try and ignore you wouldn't be so bad, but it was. It had been downright painful the way they wouldn't say a word to him unless absolutely necessary, and then it was in clipped, harsh tones with poisonous glares. Ones that let him know he had hurt and betrayed them, broken their trust. And the worst part was that they had every right to feel that way. He wasn't sure if it made him feel better or worse that he hadn't really done anything wrong.

Hinata watched her cousin apprehensively, chewing on her bottom lip as if it were candy, not even noticing she'd broken the skin. This was all her fault. If Neji wasn't helping her, if he wasn't lying for her, his teammates wouldn't think he'd done something so filthy. At least she considered it filthy, and she was pretty sure Tenten and Lee did as well. But Neji would never do something like that. She had to fix this, had to somehow make it right.

"Ano... n-niisan... if... if we just t-t-told them what we told the elders... th-that I used my influence as a m-main house member to... coerce you into s-s-sleeping with me-"

"No."

She bit the lip harder, looking down at the floor for a moment before bringing her gaze back up to him. He hadn't even opened his eyes, had just casually shot her down. She knew he was doing it for her, to keep her reputation somewhat intact, to keep people from thinking _too_ badly of her. But it wasn't fair. What about him?

"Neji, I r-really think that if-"

"I said no."

Now she frowned, a bit irritated that he wouldn't even let her finish a sentence. And in all honesty, what right did he have to tell her she wasn't allowed to tell people whatever the hell she wanted? Since when was he the boss of her? "You... you c-can't give me orders, niisan. I can d-d-do whatever I l-like, and there's really n-nothing you can say ab-bout it."

His eyes snapped open, and she instantly wished she could take the words back. There were many things she knew about her indomitable older cousin and many things she did not, but one thing she knew for sure was that he could have a very bad temper; and it didn't look like he was about to put forth the effort of keeping it reigned in for much longer. "Excuse me?"

"I...um... th-that is to say-"

"You _will not_ go about telling people that you ordered me to have sex with you." He fixed her with a hard stare, eyes narrowed. "The whole idea is absolutely vile, and I will not have people thinking you capable of such disgusting things. Understood?"

"H-hai, niisan." So much for him not being the boss. She watched absently as Fluffy sauntered in and hopped inside the basket of freshly washed laundry, wrinkling it up with his paws before lying down and making himself comfortable. Maybe there was another way to help Neji.

"N-n-niisan, what if we told Tenten and L-lee-kun the truth? That your n-not really the-"

"No. It's too risky, especially with someone like Lee. He's so damn loud and happy all the time he'd blurt it out without thinking and then train himself half to death in repentance. Don't tell either of them, are we clear?"

"But-"

"Do not try my patience, Hinata! Are we clear?"

Hinata flinched a bit as his voice raised, but she nodded dismally all the same. She didn't care whether or not the clan found out, she just wanted Neji to be happy. She didn't want his two best friends to hate him.

Neji huffed and mumbled something she didn't catch a word of. "I believe you said you had something to tell me?"

The girl looked up, and for a second he saw excitement flash through her lavender-tinted eyes; but it was gone again just as quickly as it came. "Oh... that..." She tried to force a carefree smile, but it came out strained and sad. "It's n-nothing important. I'll t-t-tell you later." She shooed Fluffy away from the laundry basket and started to fold the contents again with a troubled look on her face. Immediately Neji felt guilty.

He hadn't meant to be so sharp with her, but what she wanted to do could ruin their cover completely; and he could not allow that to happen. No matter what, he would protect her. He had _sworn _to himself he would always protect her. He would never let anything or anyone hurt her, especially not those bastards on the council of elders. He wouldn't let them take her status away. He had vowed that that ugly green mark would never mar her forehead.

"Sumimasen, Hinata-sama," he said softly, "I should not have shouted at you." _Please understand I'm just trying to keep you safe. _"I would very much like to hear what it is you wanted to tell me."

She paused for a moment before her hands resumed their task. "R-really, niisan, it's no big d-d-deal."

"Anything that has to do with you is a big deal."

Hinata bit her lip to keep from laughing scornfully at his words. "Your duty is to prot-tect me, Neji. You d-don't have to take it so far."

"I wasn't saying that because of duty, Hinata-sama. I said it because you're my cousin and friend."

Hinata was so startled by the proclamation that she dropped the shirt she'd been holding. Even if he'd been acting like it more and more as of late, Neji had never called her his friend. Ever. "Really? I'm your friend?"

"Of course you are." He gave her an incredulous look, like he was trying to detect a lie in her words. "You didn't know that?"

"W-w-well..."

He pursed his lips, and for a moment she thought maybe he was going to get angry again. Instead, after a moment's debate, he reached over and pulled her into an awkward one-armed hug, muttering, "You'll always be my friend."

She smiled brightly at him, and he felt any hesitation over his words slip away. Part of him hadn't wanted to say it, simply because it would make distancing himself again that much more difficult should the need ever arise. But then again, maybe there was no harm in being her friend. His reasons weren't purely selfish, either. After all, it's easier to help someone and keep them safe when they're your friend, isn't it? Just because it's what he wanted didn't mean it wasn't also beneficial to her. He just had to make sure he set some strict boundaries for himself. "Now what did you want to tell me?"

For a second she stared blankly, then, "Oh!" Delicate hands flew to her stomach, stroking it with an unrivaled gentleness. "I had my ap-ppointment with Ino yesterday."

Had she? He must have forgotten entirely. "Is the baby well?"

"Ah, hai." She gave him a shy glance before rubbing the bulge a bit more frantically. "It's a girl."

Neji stiffened and shot her a bewildered look before focusing his eyes on her stomach. "A girl?" Up until about two weeks ago, Neji hadn't given a rat's ass about the baby. But after seeing the look on Hinata's face when she looked at the screen at the hospital or when she rubbed her stomach, he found himself quickly changing his mind. This baby was important to Hinata. He couldn't even imagine how devastated she would be if something happened to it. This in turn made him want to protect the baby to protect her. Besides, the baby was technically a part of Hinata. The bigger she got, the more obvious that fact was. And the more he truly warmed up to the idea of taking care of the baby. _Hinata's_ baby.

"Hai..." She pressed her fingers together, and he knew in that moment that something was wrong. "Hinata-sama?"

"You... you really don't m-m-mind, right? Th-that it's not a b-boy?"

Did she honestly believe he did? Why? He'd never bought into that old-fashioned crap about needing a male heir to carry on the family (not that the kid was really his anyway). But really, what could a boy do that a girl couldn't? Girls could be strong shinobi, and Hinata would become leader of the clan, as a _girl_. In fact... "I think I rather prefer a girl. Less chance of her being a complete hellion..." He smirked. "Besides, with a girl I can spoil her like a princess."

Hinata couldn't suppress her giggle. "A princess, huh?"

"That's right. I can shower her with pretty gifts and train her to be Konoha's best kunoichi." He chuckled. "And I get to be overprotective and chase away all the boys who come knocking."

The younger Hyuuga gave a mock sigh of exasperation. "You won't l-let her figure out love for hers-self, hm?"

"Of course not." He winked conspiratorially. "No one will be good enough for my princess."

Hinata laughed outright, eyes shining happily. "Even though w-we're just kidding ar-r-round, I think you'll truly be disappointed if y-you don't get to chase away a h-horde of boys later in life."

Neji cocked an eyebrow. "And why wouldn't I get to?"

Another laugh. "Well, what if the b-b-boys aren't interested?"

"Oh, I don't think that's a concern." He looked straight at her and said sincerely, "I can't imagine any daughter of yours would be anything but beautiful."

Hinata's cheeks flared up at the same time the warning bells in Neji's head started ringing, telling him he'd just crossed over one of the boundaries he'd meant to set up. He couldn't keep doing stuff like this, he was going to make her uncomfortable again.

"Ano... I'll just p-put these clothes away, and then I'll st-start dinner."

"Ah, don't worry about it, I'll put them away. You just go ahead."

"But-"

"I've got it, Hinata-sama."

The girl bowed her head shyly, muttering a thanks before scurrying into the kitchen. She couldn't believe he would say something like that. Though she was sure he was only joking, but still... What's more, she couldn't believe her own reaction. As soon as he'd finished the words, she felt her heart start fluttering in her chest, a pleasant warmth spreading through her stomach. She knew this feeling. Up until very recently, she'd only felt this way for one person. Only for Naruto.

This was the same way Naruto had made her feel for years, every time he would pick himself back up, every time he would smile at or encourage her. It was_ that _feeling, though Hinata hadn't felt anything like that towards the blond for almost a year now. When he had started dating Sakura, those feelings had slowly died away. It wasn't an instantaneous change, of course, and Hinata had been upset (crushed) when the two had started going out. And yet, she hadn't been as devastatingly heartbroken as she had always imagined she would be. Maybe because she knew deep down that Naruto didn't look at her as more than a friend. Because she knew that he looked at Sakura the way she looked at him. Whatever the reason, she took it all in stride and got over him without _too_ much angst. She was actually rather proud of herself for how well she'd handled it all.

But now the feelings were back, for someone very different than her first love. For someone she never thought she'd look at that way. She wasn't stupid, and she wasn't going to go into denial. She had a crush on Neji. It was obvious. The question was whether or not she should actually do something about it.

Part of her really wanted to confess her feelings to her cousin. It had taken her years to build up the courage to confess to Naruto, and when she finally had, it had been a completely spur of the moment thing. She had thrown herself rashly in front of him, willing to die to protect him from Pein, and had finally uttered the three monumental words. Without stuttering, she liked to remember. In fact, planned or not, she considered it one of her better moments; even if she did get owned in one hit seconds later.

Of course, after that, all kinds of crazy shit with Sasuke had happened and Naruto had left the village for a while. When he came back and had spoken with Hinata, it seemed he didn't take her confession for what it was. He had assumed she meant 'love' in a friendship type of way, sort of like the way he loved Sasuke. At least that's what he said. She often wondered now if he knew the truth, that she was head over heels for him, and played dumb on purpose because he didn't want to hurt her by rejecting her. Regardless, she had played along, too afraid to correct him. Then he and Sakura had become an official couple.

But Naruto was very different than Neji. With Naruto, she had always been nervous, so much so she could barely speak at times and absolutely couldn't take any sort of physical contact. With Neji, even when she was painfully aware of her attraction to him, she was still somewhat comfortable. She didn't know why there was such a difference. Possibly, she was just _used_ to Neji. She had lived with him her entire life, even if they didn't get along well during most of it. And then she had been sharing a house with him the past few months, before she felt anything other than friendship towards him. And maybe that was the key. They had been friends first. As much as she had adored Naruto for years, not until _after_ her crush on him had ended did they really become friends. The two of them had never shared the easy companionship he had with his pink-haired teammate. That was probably the biggest reason they would never have worked together.

Neji, on the other hand... she could honestly see something happening there. Now that he had finally, _finally_ decided to let down his defenses around her, they were getting along so well. They coexisted peacefully, rarely fought (and even then it was really just bickering), could talk together amicably... and most of all, he truly made her happy when he was around. Naruto had too, of course, but it really wasn't the same. She couldn't tell why, but it just wasn't. This... this was special.

Flipping on the stove, and filling a pot with water to boil, she bit her lip, shaking her head firmly. This didn't matter, there was no way Neji would ever want her. He could make teasing comments about her being pretty all he liked, she knew it wasn't real. She was plain and, as of late, fat. And he was _Neji_. He had girls (and some boys) all over the village swooning over him, shinobi and civilian alike. He could take his pick of whoever he wanted, so why would that person be her?

_But the other day, he tried to kiss me_.

She bit her cheek at the memory, fingers flying to her forehead where his lips had actually landed. He had definitely been about to kiss her, a real kiss, she was positive. Only at the last second had he changed his mind. Why would he do that if he felt nothing for her?

_Maybe he just wanted to see what being with a pregnant girl was like._

She sighed, dumping the pasta into the now boiling water and covering the pot with a lid. It was doubtful someone like Neji would ever look at her as more than a friend, and she'd only embarrass herself by admitting her feelings to him. Besides, what if he took it as part of his _duty_ to then get together with her or something. She shuddered at the thought. Neji had already done more than he should for her. She would keep her feelings to herself. After all, she'd had plenty of practice over the years on doing that.

* * *

Again, the next one will be longer. And for everyone who thought this was going to be Neji/Tenten... well, I never meant to elude to that in any way. This _is_ a Neji/Hina story, as I said back in the author's note of the first chapter. Neji doesn't feel romantically for Tenten anymore, she's just one of his best friends. So don't worry.

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	9. Loose and Locked Lips

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto there would be Byakuugan babies everywhere! So I guess it's not mine.

Hinata- 17/going on 18

Neji- 19

Warnings: Language

* * *

_And maybe you should sleep  
And maybe you just need, a friend  
As clumsy as you've been  
There's no one laughing  
You will be safe in here_

**-Our Lady Peace, _Clumsy_**

* * *

**Chapter 8: Consequences Come with Loose and Locked Lips**

Gossip was the root of all evil. Neji hated gossip. He always had really, didn't like the way people would talk about others behind their backs and then smile falsely to their faces. But he had never hated it more than he did that day. The day after he returned from his last mission before his leave.

He couldn't begin to understand how word had gotten out about the whole Tenten fiasco, but it had. He knew Tenten, Lee, and Gai would all never say anything, so he could only assume someone had overheard something and then someone had done some digging and blah blah blah, the whole village knew he had cheated on Tenten with Hinata who had then gotten pregnant with his illegitimate child.

He became painfully aware of this fact when he went to the market around noon with a grocery list from his younger cousin, planning on getting her the ingredients for tonight's dinner so she could make it once she was done with her shift at the hospital. Apparently she wanted to make saury, one of his favorites, and had some kind of eggplant dish planned as well. He didn't pretend to know or care about what exactly she cooked, as long as it tasted good. He just dutifully did the shopping for her whenever it was asked of him.

As he examined the specimens of eggplant in front of him, wondering if there was a way to tell which ones were better than others, he heard the sharp whisper behind him, "Yes, that's the Hyuuga boy. I heard he's Hiashi's nephew. A jounin too."

"It's rather disgraceful, isn't it? I mean, with the clan heiress..."

"Ha, serves them right. The Hyuuga always act so high and mighty, looking down their noses at everyone else. Guess they're just mere mortals like the rest of us after all."

"Who would have thought that girl was so _loose_ though."

Neji had the strongest urge to hit his head off of something. Hard. Why did life hate him so much? No, strike that, he knew why it hated him. But why in Kami's name did it hate shy, little Hinata? She _wasn't_ one of the many Hyuuga who looked down on people. She was one of the last people on earth who deserved to be talked about like this. Seriously, couldn't the poor girl catch a break?

Biting his lip hard to keep from retaliating against the two older women behind him, finding it more and more difficult the longer they talked about his cousin, he quickly bought his ingredients and hurried home, ignoring all the stares. _Don't scowl, don't hit them, don't do it, don't do it... DON'T YOU DARE LOWER YOUR HEAD! YOU ARE NOT HINATA!_

He managed to get home without incident, trying to block out the keening whines from his cat as he put away the groceries. "You already have food," he snapped. "This fish isn't for you. Lousy glutton."

He could swear the damn thing glared at him when he said that.

Once he was done, he looked listlessly around the house before deciding to scrub the kitchen floor. It wasn't overly dirty or anything, but ever since Hinata had moved in, she had made it her mission to keep his cottage spotless. And she was starting to get big. Hence Neji's determination to do the chores that growing pregnant women shouldn't need to be bothered with.

Unfortunately, he never got the chance to start. There was a knock on his door, and a breathless branch house boy, no older than six, gasped out that Hiashi-sama wanted to see him. Immediately. Making Neji idly wonder if he should just kill himself now and get it over with.

And sure enough, his uncle looked pissed. "Neji."

"Hiashi-sama." His uncle stared him down, making him feel like a small, nervous child, and he fought the urge to shift uncomfortably. No wonder Hinata always hated having to meet with the man.

"I heard some rather disturbing talk in the village today."

_I'll bet you did_.

"I would like to remind you, Neji, that we are the oldest, most powerful clan in Konoha. We have a strict image to uphold."

"I understand that," Neji said seriously. _It's why all of my friends think I have a stick up my ass._

"Do you? I was beginning to wonder. Seeing as how _your_ name was being brought up so often, second only to your cousin's. And not in the best light."

The boy nearly cringed.

"I could care less about your private affairs, Neji. However, that is only so long as they remain private, and do not become the talk of the town. I do not appreciate when there is cause for our heiress to be spoken of as if she were an Inuzuka."

Well, that was something they had in common, seeing as how Neji didn't like it much either. He just didn't think there was anything he could do to fix it. "You have my sincerest apologies, Hiashi-sama. It will not happen again."

"See that it doesn't. Send Hinata to see me once she returns home."

Neji nodded and began to stand, knowing that meant he was dismissed, but he paused. It would really only dig his grave deeper, but it needed to be done. "Uncle... this whole thing is my fault. Please do not blame Hinata-sama. I _will_ take care that this incident does not repeat itself."

His uncle's stern gaze softened ever so slightly, and Neji could swear the man was fighting off a smile. "I will hold you to that, nephew. Be sure to not go back on your word." He daintily picked a pen up off of his desk and began to scrawl something, attention now focused elsewhere. "You and Hinata enjoy your evening."

Neji exited the room quickly, breathing a small sigh of relief. That had gone much better than it could have, and he'd managed to spare Hinata another discomforting encounter with her father. Though Hiashi's sudden turn in mood was rather confusing. What had he found so amusing?

He made his way back to his cottage and again prepared to clean the floor. This time he managed to get as far as filling a bucket with water and mopping about one square foot of space before another knock interrupted his progress.

Growling his annoyance, he answered and was surprised to come face-to-face with the porcelain mask of a wolf. ANBU? "Yes?" He hoped they remembered he was on leave, and unless the village was under imminent threat of being attacked, he would not be taking any missions.

"The Hokage has summoned you. Please report at once."

Neji complied with a frown and ignored all the open stares and whispers as he approached the blond woman's office. Really, these people were supposed to be shinobi. Trained killers. Didn't they have anything better to do with their time?

"Enter!"

Neji stepped lightly through the door, letting it shut behind him. Amber eyes immediately fixed him with a sharp glare, and it took all of his Hyuuga willpower not to glare back. What the hell was her problem?

"Neji, so glad you could join me. I wanted to have a little chat."

"I'm on approved leave, and unless the situation is serious, I won't be accepting any missions for at least five more months," the teen said instantly, trying not to sound disrespectful. "I apologize for any inconvenience that may cause."

Tsunade's gaze didn't waver. "I know you're on leave, Hyuuga. I'm the one who approved it. I didn't call you here about a mission."

A thin, dark eyebrow raised. What other reason would the Hokage have for calling someone?

"I've been working rather closely with your cousin lately, now that she's a member of the hospital staff. She's a very sweet girl. I like her."

Oh dear Kami, please no. She hadn't really called him for-

"Exactly what the hell are you trying to pull here, brat?"

Yes, yes she had. "Tsunade-sama, if you're referring to the... _rumors_ currently going around-"

"Of course I'm referring to the rumors," the annoyed woman cut in. "One day people are talking about how she's going to have a cute baby with the Hyuuga prodigy, the next they're talking about how she's a harlot who's going to have a bastard baby with the two-timing Hyuuga prodigy."

Inner-Neji winced. "People are fickle. I assure you the situation is not as it appears." After a moment's hesitation, he came to a decision and began, "I'm not even really-"

"I know you're not the real father, brat. If you were, you wouldn't be here right now."

Seeing the boy's confusion she sighed. "I've been checking up on Ino's progress with Hinata constantly, I know you're just a cover. What I want to know is why?"

"Why what?"

"Why are you a cover? What is it you're getting out of this?"

Neji was getting thoroughly irritated now. It was only around one in the afternoon and he was already exhausted, his nerves were frayed, and he'd been holding in his anger for far too long. "I'd like to know why too, you know. I want to know why everyone always assumes I have some kind of ulterior motive. Do you really believe I'm such a horrible person I can't just do something _nice_ for once?"

Tsunade's lips thinned. "Don't start getting self-righteous with me, brat. You can't blame people for being suspicious of your motives when it comes to your cousin. You've never shown anything above grudging respect for her before. A random act of kindness on this scale seems awfully hard to believe."

Neji clenched and unclenched his hands several times, refusing to meet his leader's eyes. It wouldn't do to lose his temper right now. "I have no motives, no hidden agendas. I'm just trying to help my cousin."

"The cousin you don't even like."

"Of course I like her! I love her!"

Once he'd practically shouted the words, he immediately felt like a fool. Especially since Tsunade was now smirking at him. How could he have let her goad him like that? She hadn't even done much, just a few well-placed words and looks... He was a Hyuuga, dammit, they didn't go off yelling about their feelings. They weren't supposed to _have_ feelings!

"Well now, why didn't you just say so?"

Neji decided he hated the Hokage. "You did that on purpose."

The smirk turned positively evil. "Just confirming a suspicion."

The Hyuuga crossed his arms over his chest, looking downright offended. "Forgive my rudeness, Hokage-sama, but _how_ is it any of your business what I feel towards Hinata-sama?"

Tsunade sighed, digging a bottle of sake out from one of her bottom desk drawers. The blond was amazed at how much the ANBU-level shinobi in front of her resembled a child who hadn't gotten their way. She was half-expecting him to stamp his foot and throw a temper-tantrum. "I already told you, Neji, I'm just looking out for your cousin's best interest."

"Really?"

"Yes. And I'm bored, but mostly I was checking for Hinata's sake." The woman poured some of the clear liquid into a saucer, offering it to the boy who shook his head. "Suit yourself." It was gone in the blink of an eye. "Make sure you know what you're doing, brat. I really don't want Hinata getting hurt here."

Neji's teeth snapped together audibly. "I'm not trying to hurt her."

"I didn't say you were trying to. I said to be careful." The look she gave him clearly said 'or else'. Great. Now the Hokage was threatening him as well, and he had blurted out loud something he was loathe to admit even in the privacy of his own mind. He really was a moron.

"You're dismissed."

He gave a respectful bow, though his whole body resented the motion. Nosy, blond, drunken woman. How would she like it if he started digging around in her private affairs? She'd probably punch him through a wall. Really, she was the Hokage, she shouldn't be butting in like a meddlesome teenager. And _why_ was every single kunoichi he passed giving him cut-eye? Oh. That's right. Because he'd disgraced one of their own, and given the chance, they'd maul him like a pack of angry wolves in Tenten's name. Couldn't they just-

Any and all thought died immediately as a familiar, orally-fixated jounin went flying across his field of vision. Followed by an even more familiar voice growling, "Maybe next time you'll watch what you say, bastard!"

Kiba. And that could only mean-

"Hello, Neji-san."

-that Shino was there as well. The Hyuuga considered taking off before he could be sent to join Genma, but stood his ground instead. He wasn't about to run from two people he outranked. "Good afternoon. I'd almost forgotten about you two." His voice had taken on a rather pathetic weary quality, when the hell had that happened? "Well, come on then. Let's have it."

Kiba popped into his field of vision then, giving him a look like he'd lost his marbles, and he had the feeling Shino was doing the same beneath all of his layers. "We would like to have a discussion with you," the Aburame intoned mechanically. "In private."

Neji indolently glanced about, taking note to how they were the center of attention. Then again, he had been the center of attention all day it seemed. "Lead the way."

They took to the rooftops, ignoring the stares they got from passing ninja, as they made their way to the Aburame compound. Shino, Neji found, was much like himself in that he had been given a small house of his own away from the main one. Except his was quite a bit larger than Neji's, of course, seeing as how he was the heir to his clan and not just a branch member. Not that the Aburame clan _had_ branch members, not the way the Hyuugas did.

He accepted the invitation to enter, slipping his sandals off at the door, watching as Akamaru trotted away from the trio to a structure outside that was obviously his and Neji could really only describe as a large, elaborate doghouse. Wait...

Glancing around the inside curiously, he found it awfully messy for somewhere Shino lived, having always imagined the odd boy to be overly neat. He also spotted a number of things that the bug-lover would never bother to own. _Doghouse outside, unkempt living space, random Icha Icha Paradise..._ "You live here, Inuzuka?"

Kiba stiffened, shooting Neji a wary glance. "Yeah. So?"

Neji wanted to laugh at his previous obliviousness. No wonder Hinata's teammates were together so often, they were actually _together_. He was aware he didn't know them well, but how could he have missed that?

"You got a problem with it, Hyuuga?"

"Kiba, calm down," Shino ordered instantly as Neji quickly sobered. He hadn't meant to be offensive.

"Of course I don't have a problem. Why should I?"

Kiba gave him a small nod, accepting his answer, while Shino explained, "Do not pay him any mind, Neji-san. He's still riled up from Genma's earlier comments."

Genma. Oh yeah. Kiba had attacked the lecherous older man. What was that all about anyway? "You should really try and be careful when fighting with superiors-"

"He deserved it!" Kiba snapped, suddenly looking every bit as ferocious as a feral dog. "He was talkin' about Hina-chan, saying... Well, you know what he was saying. 'I'd love to give her sweet ass a try', and 'I wonder just what she's hiding underneath that coat'. Shit like that! I don't care if I'm still just a Chuunin, no one talks about our Hinata that way!"

Neji only half registered his words, already seeing red. That lousy, no good, senbon-sucking-

"Neji-san," Shino interrupted his thoughts, "don't worry. It's already been taken care of."

That did little to ease Neji's troubled thoughts, but he decided to let it go for now. He'd make Genma pay later. Right now... "You two are being awfully friendly. I thought you brought me here to yell at me."

Kiba looked very confused. "Yell at you? Why?"

Shino detachedly reached over and flicked his boyfriend on the forehead. "For the same reason you were originally going to yell at him." The hooded head turned to regard his loud partner. "Remember?"

The dog-nin slapped the errant hand away. "Yeah, but you talked me out of it!"

"Because Neji-san made a mistake. That's all. He has already seen his error."

Neji watched the interaction with mild interest. Really, how could he have missed that they were a couple? And leave it to Shino to figure everything out right away. He always had been the clever one. "It may have been a mistake, but it's still my fault Hinata-sama is suffering."

The Aburame turned to him, glasses flashing. "Yes."

"I don't believe for a second you're not angry about it."

"'Course we're angry about it," Kiba snarled. "I was gonna come find you and kill you."

Neji couldn't help crossing his arms and cocking an eyebrow scornfully at the remark. The Inuzuka certainly thought highly of his own abilities. Especially considering Neji was an Anbu-level jounin. "Really?"

"Yeah! But then bug-freak just had to go and make sense like always. Said even an arrogant prick like you was human and made mistakes sometimes." Kiba looked away a bit grudgingly. "And he said you never meant to hurt Hinata-chan."

The Hyuuga prodigy chose not to answer, but that in itself was answer enough that they were right. His pride just wouldn't allow him to stoop so low as to verbally agree. Or apologize for the inconvenience this whole mess would cause them. "Since we're clear on the matter, I'll take my leave."

He had just given them a polite nod and turned to go when Kiba said, "Oi, dickhead, wanna train with us?"

He paused, ignoring the unflattering name he had just been called. "What?"

"We're gonna go train now." The brunette shrugged. "If you're free, you're welcome to join us. 'Specially since your own team won't wanna train with you anymore."

For a moment Neji contemplated attacking him for the last comment, but he calmed himself quickly. It was merely the Inuzuka's blunt way of speaking. No offense had been meant, and he was right. Neji's own team _wouldn't_ want to train with him any longer, probably not for quite some time. And that was only if they ever chose to forgive him. Besides... he really didn't have anything better to do... "If you're sure you don't mind."

He choked when he suddenly found himself with Kiba's muscled arm slung around his neck in what was practically a headlock. Thank goodness he was already used to Lee's overzealous displays of friendly affection. "'Course we don't mind. The more the merrier, right, bug-boy?"

Shino said nothing but flanked Neji's other side as Kiba began dragging him to the training fields. He could only imagine the extra gossip they stirred, him acting all buddy-buddy with Hinata's teammates, but he really couldn't care less. At this point, he smirked, they could all go fuck themselves.

_~To protect what's precious~_

Hinata gave Ino a small, hesitant smile, trying not to look as utterly dejected as she felt after the day she'd been having. "H-hello. Sorry to bother you, but d-do you have t-t-time for..." She let her voice trail off, staring hopefully at her blond friend. She didn't want to be forced to actually say what it was she wanted from Ino, they were in the crowded hospital hallway where the walls had ears. She was hoping Ino would remember the discussion they'd had several days prior.

Blue eyes blinked before widening as Ino did in fact recall their past conversation. "Oh, for the baby! Yes, of course I have time. C'mon in."

With another lifting of lips, Hinata entered the exam room behind the taller girl, immediately shucking off her coat. "Thank you for doing this, Ino."

"It's not a problem, really." The Yamanaka approached as she rolled up her shirt. "It's a very common test for those who marry outside of their clan."

Hinata nodded vaguely, knowing it was, indeed, very common. The problem was that her baby was supposed to be from two members of her clan. Hence the reason no one could know she was getting this test.

"Okay, let's see here." Ino performed several handsigns, holding her now glowing palms over the other girl's abdomen, eyes screwed shut in careful concentration. "I can... yeah, there it is. Around the eyes. She has the Byakuugan ability."

Hinata sighed in relief, a huge weight lifting off her shoulders. She had been waiting impatiently for her baby to develop far along enough to check for kekkei genkais. If the baby was born without the Hyuuga clan trait, with the dark brown eyes of her real father... But there was nothing to worry about. Hinata's strong, Hyuuga genes had come through.

"Wait... there's something else."

Hinata frowned. "Wha-what?"

"There's a second kekkei genkai here. Built directly into the chakra system. It must be from the father."

The Hyuuga girl froze in shock. A _second_ kekkei genkai? That man had had... She suddenly remembered the feeling of her whole body going numb, of being unable to move even a finger, as if she'd just been jolted by an electric shock even though no handsigns had been used.

She clenched her fists. One could often use a kekkei genkai without the aid of handsigns.

"I see."

Ino frowned at the worried look on her friend's face. "Hey, Hinata, don't sweat it. Once the baby's born, you can seal away the second kekkei genkai if you want, that way no one will know she's not Neji's. You can even do a temporary seal, until she's older or something. But we can definitely hide it. So it'll be fine." Ino's frown only deepened the more she looked Hinata over. She looked a mess.

And yet still, she turned to the tall blond and gave her the usual Hyuuga Hinata smile, full of a sweet shyness no one else could possess. "I know, I'm j-just trying to think everything over. Th-th-thank you ag-gain, Ino."

Ino could only nod.

_~To protect what's precious~_

Neji enjoyed his time training with the two boys who were nearly polar opposites but worked together so perfectly. It was nice to know that on some level he still had friends, no matter what the world decided to throw at him next; even if they were only really there for Hinata's sake.

Several hours later, they parted ways. Shino headed back towards the Aburame compound, but Kiba needed to stop by the market and ended up walking with Neji for a few minutes longer. They chatted briefly, mostly about missions and other shinobi-related issues. Neji, in a much better mood now that he'd been given the chance to work off his frustration, actually allowed himself to compliment the dog-nin on how far he and Shino had come in their training. In his opinion, they were both ready to submit their names for the Jounin Test, something they apparently planned on doing in the near future.

As the two came to their own parting, Neji gave the younger boy a stiff, small nod. "Thank you for inviting me to train with you today. I enjoyed it thoroughly."

Kiba sighed and shook his head, fixing Neji with a look that clearly said 'you're hopeless'. "Geez, Hyuuga, enough with the formal crap. It gets tiring." He flashed him a toothy grin. "Seriously, join us anytime."

The Inuzuka walked a few steps when he was surprised to hear, "Kiba!" He blinked and slowly turned. "Yeah?" Neji was fixing him with a hard look, and after a moment, he realized the older boy was confused. "What is it?"

"Seriously. I know Shino's calm and takes things in stride. But why haven't you tried to..." He searched for words the boy would best relate to. "...beat me up or something?"

For a moment there was silence between them, brown eyes staring down white. Until finally, Kiba said in a wise-tone that belied his normal personality, "You're already beatin' yourself up, Hyuuga. You don't need me for that." He continued on his path towards the market, waving once over his shoulder. "Later!"

Neji watched his back until it disappeared around the corner, trying desperately to keep the smile off his face. Yes, it was good to have friends.

Arriving at the hospital, he entered hesitantly, thinking maybe it would be better if he waited for Hinata outside. After all, just one of them was enough to start the whispers, but if they were both seen in public together they might give some old lady a heart attack. In fact, going inside to meet her was really just adding fuel to the fire, but Hyuuga Neji was stubborn. This had become their routine, and he was not about to change it just because of some stupid gossip. He had always gone down to meet Hinata at the pediatrics ward before, and he would continue to do so. The rest of the village be damned.

"Neji!"

The brunette nearly cringed at the sound of his name, shooting a suspicious glance over his shoulder. "Ino. What is it?"

"I'm really glad I managed to find you," the blond gasped out breathlessly, jogging up to him. "I've been meaning to talk to you."

_Oh, not another one. Deep breath, Neji._ "Ino, I'm sorry for not thinking things through properly, thus causing this whole predicament. However, I assure you-"

"Neji, what the hell are you talking about?"

The boy blinked. "Weren't you upset about the rumors with me and Hinata and Tenten?"

Ino snorted, planting both hands on her hips, eyebrow raised. "What, Konoha's newest love triangle? Don't worry, that'll blow over eventually, especially without me endorsing it."

Well, that was true, Ino was responsible for giving life to over half the gossip in the Hidden Leaf. Without her, these rumors didn't stand much of a chance at lasting _too_ long.

"I do feel kind of bad for Tenten, though."

Neji frowned. _So do I._

For a moment they had a comfortable, shared silence in regret for their friend, but then Ino shook her head, waving her thoughts away. "This isn't why I stopped you. I wanted to let you know I'm worried about Hinata."

Like she'd suspected, Neji was instantly on alert. "Hinata-sama? Why, is there something wrong with the baby?"

"No, the baby's doing fine. It's her that's not." The girl bit her lip, examining the Hyuuga boy carefully. "She looks exhausted, like she hasn't been sleeping."

Neji's brow furrowed. "Really?"

"Yes." Ino scowled at him. "How haven't you noticed? Today especially, she looked awful. And no," she cut off his protest before it could leave his lips, "it isn't because of people talking. She's been like this for a while now, but lately it's been getting worse."

Neji felt an odd twinge in the pit of his stomach. "I'll look into it."

"You better. It's your job to take care of her, isn't it?"

The twinge got worse. "Yes."

"Then be a good boy and do your job."

The twinge disappeared in a wave of annoyance, and pale eyes narrowed to slits. "Excuse me?" Exactly who the hell did she think she was lecturing?

The blond stuck her tongue out playfully before taking off down the hall and out of his attack range. He'd been docile for a bit at least. That in itself was a rarity, and she just couldn't help but try and exploit it. "Just make sure you check on her, Neji. You know how she is. She could be dying a slow, agonizing death and would never say a word."

Unfortunately, that was the truth. Hinata was selfless to a fault, and Neji couldn't remember ever having really heard her complain. Even when she had good reason. He'd wished many times that she would just think about herself a little more. Especially when, for years, no one else really had.

The brunette continued his way down the hall, and after a few twists and turns, the white walls gave way to ones full of bright colors. He always met Hinata in the purple hallway... and, there she was. Bent over to help a pale, sickly little girl no older than four fix her hair, a soft smile on her face. Neji had never seen her calmer or happier than the glimpses he caught of her at work.

Feeling someone's eyes on her, Hinata looked up, giving him a small nod of acknowledgement. She finished pulling the child's hair into a ponytail, giggled at something that was said, kissed her on the forehead, and sent her on her way. Then, standing a bit more slowly than usual (she'd been getting so big lately), she made her way to her older cousin, immediately starting the trek home. "Hello, niisan. H-how was your day?"

He shrugged, loathe to answer that question truthfully. "All right. And yours?"

She shrugged as well. "It was fine."

The farther they walked, the more foolish the both of them began to feel about their answers. Whispers and stares surrounded them from all sides, trapping them in an endless cage of gossip, and not the tolerable kind either. Some of the looks they were getting from complete strangers would put the Hyuuga clan elders' glares to shame. After a few minutes Neji finally said congenially, "Are we really going to pretend amongst even each other that we don't notice this?"

The heiress sighed, letting her oblivious facade slowly slip away. "My day was h-horrible. People kept talking behind my back, like I couldn't hear them. The ch-children didn't understand why the other n-n-nurses were avoiding me. Some of the m-male staff kept making... c-c-comments." Her face turned bright red, and Neji vowed to find out just who those staff members were. "I just w-w-wanted it to be over." She looked at him wearily. "How was y-your day r-r-really?"

Neji squinted a bit, determining whether or not he should tell her about the threats he received on her behalf. "Not much different from yours. People talking, angry kunoichi, your  
father-"

"My father?"

Well, so much for trying to slip it in discreetly. "Don't worry, Hinata-sama, I already took care of it."

She was giving him this look like she either didn't believe him... or she just wished she didn't. Time for a distraction. "I wasn't aware your teammates were a couple. How long has that been going on?"

She blinked, clearly thrown by the abrupt change in topic, and he inwardly smirked at his success. "Oh, well... r-really they've been dancing around each other for nearly t-t-two years. At f-f-first they were both just s-stupid and didn't even realize it. Th-then they were more stupid and tried to ignore it. Finally they accepted it ab-b-bout three months ago. They moved in together right away then. Apparently they knew they'd w-w-wasted enough time already. Idiots." She said this all affectionately, obviously pleased her boys had found happiness. But... "Why did you w-want to know, niisan?"

_Because I didn't want you to think about your father and have you worrying over nothing. And because I felt stupid for not knowing earlier._ "Ah, I spent the afternoon with them. Their relationship came as a bit of a surprise." He wasn't sure how he was supposed to take the look she was giving him.

"You s-s-s-s-s-s-s-"

"Take a moment."

She did as she was told and after a few deep breaths tried again. "You spent the afternoon w-with Shino-kun and K-kiba-kun?"

Neji attempted a carefree smile, knowing he didn't pull it off well. "Hai. We trained together."

"O-oh." She looked away, gnawing on her lip and pressing her fingers together, idly ignoring the old couple that was gawking at them openly. "You... you didn't fight with them... d-did you, niisan?"

Neji's face didn't give away a hint of what he was thinking, but he did give her a serious look. "I assure you, Hinata-sama, we did nothing of the sort." He knew how much it would bother her if her cousin and her teammates couldn't get along, though why exactly he couldn't fathom. No, maybe he could somewhat. After all, it would be difficult if she didn't get on with Tenten and Lee... back before the pair hated the both of them. "Aburame and Inuzuka were both... quite friendly, actually."

He could visibly see the relief overtake her. "Oh good. I know how they can be sometimes..."

Neji nodded, noting the unspoken 'and how _you_ can be sometimes' that hung in the air. How exactly could he be, he wondered. Ill-tempered, definitely. Arrogant, yes... Bitchy, maybe? He would ask if he thought Hinata would ever give him an honest answer, but he knew her too well for that. Not that she wasn't an honest girl, but she would tell him that the sky was orange, his hair was green, and the Tooth Fairy did exist if she thought it would make him happy. It was one of her worst and best traits.

"It's getting so c-cold lately."

The light comment broke through his thoughts as he realized he had allowed his mind to run away with him. Not something he usually did. "Hai. It will probably snow soon."

The girl shivered at the very thought. "Snow is always so p-p-pretty but..."

"But that's only until you actually have to go outside in it." Neji understood her reasoning perfectly, seeing as how it matched his own. "At least Konoha winters are short."

"Ah, h-hai." She smiled at him.

"_Can you believe they're actually walking around together like it's nothing_?"

The smile dropped rather quickly, and Hinata's delicate brow furrowed. "Was that woman really _trying_ to keep her voice down?" The girl seemed genuinely curious, but in an odd, morbid sort of way. Neji was just glad they were nearly home and chose not to answer what he figured was a rhetorical question anyway. At home they could be alone, away from prying eyes and scornful tongues, just them. And they could be honest when it was just the two of them. No secrets.

They both pretended not to notice the uneasy stares the branch men on guard duty gave them and made their way to their house as quickly as Hinata's pregnancy would allow. Neither one of them was in the mood to deal with any members of their family at the moment, and luckily their wish was granted.

While Neji bathed away the filth from training, Hinata cooked dinner, the same as they always did. It was when they sat down to eat that Neji truly looked at his cousin closely under the harsh glare of the kitchen light. His first thought was that Ino had been right. Hinata looked absolutely exhausted, and not the kind that could come about after a difficult day or two. The kind that built up over a substantial amount of time. Was she working too hard?

"H-how is it, niisan?"

"It's delicious as always, Hinata-sama."

She beamed proudly before continuing to devour her own meal, but Neji had trouble taking his eyes off her. She was so pale, more so than usual, and the rings beneath her eyes were so dark they were starting to give Gaara's a run for their money. That couldn't be good for her or the baby. How had he not noticed before?

"Neji? What's wrong?"

Neji blinked, realizing how openly he'd been staring and that she'd polished off her dinner while he had only taken a few bites. Well, at least whatever was affecting her had left her appetite intact. "Gomen, Hinata-sama, I was just thinking. Everything's fine." Well, not really. If everything was fine, his cousin wouldn't look like some kind of sickly insomniac. "I wanted to ask you... how have you been feeling lately?"

The question clearly caught her off guard. She paused, half risen from her chair, and dark eyebrows slowly raised. "Feeling?"

"Hai."

She sank back into her seat, giving him a strange look. Trying to figure out what he was really after. "I'm all right. My s-stomach's been behaving, only a few weird c-cravings. I've had almost no m-m-mood swings. My ch-chakra's gone now, but that was to be exp-pected. My b-back's been hurting some, but it's not so bad. It will just get w-worse the bigger I get." She stared at him, obviously through and wondering if he wanted anything else.

He, however, didn't miss how she had left out one very important area. "How have you been sleeping?"

She immediately tensed, and he felt his stomach tighten in response. So something _was_ wrong.

"S-s-sleeping? F-fine, why do y-you a-ask?"

Excessive stuttering. Never a good sign. "You've just seemed very tired lately. I thought maybe the baby was disturbing your rest."

She laughed, and it was such a fake, forced sound it made him shiver. Hinata shouldn't make sounds like that. "Don't be s-s-silly, niisan. Everything's fine."

Only it wasn't. It really, really wasn't, and that had suddenly become so glaringly obvious. Things were far from fine. _She_ was far from fine. "I don't agree. Tell me what's the matter."

The happy smile that stretched across her face was downright disturbing. "I already told you, niisan-"

"Hinata-sama, please don't lie to me."

The silence that followed was heavy and so thick Neji could practically feel it choking him. She stared hard down at the table, refusing to meet his eyes. Then, after what felt like an eternity, she stood and took her plate to the sink. He watched her scrape off a few leftover scraps into the garbage and then run the dish beneath hot water, all the while keeping her gaze away from his. Once this was done, she turned to leave the kitchen, retreating towards the bathroom, never once glancing his way.

He didn't expect her to say anything more, so he was surprised when she whispered, "It's really none of your concern, Neji. Don't bother yourself with it any longer." And then the door shut firmly behind her, blocking him out.

Swallowing hard through a now dry throat, the boy looked at his half-eaten dinner with a frown, appetite long gone. He absently dropped a small piece of fish onto the floor for his waiting cat, but to his dull surprise, the animal ignored it in favor of rubbing up against his leg and mewling softly. Like it could sense his distress. He scooped Fluffy into his lap, stroking the soft fur despondently. At least someone wanted to be near him...

Silver eyes shot a forlorn glance at the closed bedroom door. They were at home. Alone. Just the two of them. No secrets.

Eyes slid shut in defeat.

What a joke.

* * *

So there you are, and as promised, it is longer than last time. In fact, it might just be the longest one yet, I'm not really sure...

Oh, and I'll tell you right now, if you have a problem with the Kiba/Shino pairing, I don't care. It has no real influence on the story, there won't be any yaoi scenes whatsoever, and it was a gift to my cousin because she thinks they're cute together. So if it bother you that much, you're probably homophobic, and I don't want to hear from you.

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**Shadows Dancing in the Mist**- I'm so sorry I forgot you last time!

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	10. The Art of Being a Bystander

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto there would be Byakuugan babies everywhere! So I guess it's not mine.

Hinata- 17/going on 18

Neji- 19

Warnings: Language

* * *

_"Trying to squash a rumor is like trying to unring a bell."_

**-Shana Alexander**

* * *

**Chapter 9: The Art of Being a Bystander**

_All three of the Konoha-nin had been silent for some time now. Even Kiba, despite his boasting, knew better than to attract attention while in the very midst of a mission. Particularly an A-rank one._

_Shino signaled for them to halt, and Hinata landed noiselessly on a branch, watching her teammate's back carefully. They had worked together long enough that she could practically read his mind just by the small twitches and tensing of muscles beneath his familiar coat. After a moment, he looked back at the two behind him, nodding once, and the three immediately separated. _

_The plan to fan out and search the area had already been discussed previously, before they'd entered dangerous territory. Now the mission came down to stealth and surveillance. All three of them were particularly skilled in the latter area, each with their own unique talents; Kiba his smell, Hinata her sight, and Shino his... well, bugs. One of which were sitting innocently on each of his teammates' shoulders. Hinata had never learned _exactly_ how they worked, but she knew they would immediately signal Shino should she either find the target or get into trouble. It had always made her feel just a little bit better whenever she had to go off alone._

_Now she activated her Byakuugan, scouring the area for any clues to where an abandoned lab might be hidden. Dutifully, she followed the route Shino had set up for her that would slowly lead her to meet the boys in the middle, always alert for both the building and enemy ninja. It was surprisingly quickly that she found it, sitting innocently underground, and clear as day to her special eyes._

_Target located. As she circled the perimeter of the large, subterranean building, looking for an entrance while she awaited her team, she smiled._

_~To protect what's precious~_

Ino's smile stretched painfully across her face as she lamented ever taking her lunch with her pink-haired friend.

"And you know, normally I wouldn't take sides, in fact I'm still trying not to. But it's kind of _obvious_ Tenten's in the right here." She paused, chopsticks half-way to her mouth. "Don't you think?"

No, Ino didn't 'think' at all, because things really weren't as obvious as they seemed; but she couldn't say anything about that. First of all, it violated doctor/patient confidentiality. Second, Neji would kill her. Slowly.

"I feel really bad for her. I mean, I'm not sure how I would take it if Naruto cheated on me."

Indeed. But the question here was more 'how would Naruto take it if he was falsely accused of cheating and couldn't properly defend himself because if he did it would let down his younger cousin who was depending on him?' Ino frowned. How _would_ the loudmouth react in that situation?

"What really surprises me is that _Hinata_ went along with it all. I mean, she's always been so nice to everyone, so sweet... Do you think she knew Neji was dating Tenten at the time?"

Ino had never wanted her lunch break to end quicker.

"I mean, maybe Neji never told her... But everyone knew. It wasn't a secret, I even remember Hinata congratulating Tenten about it. Maybe she thought they'd already broken up or..." Emerald eyes widened. "Maybe he tricked her into it."

Okay, that was crossing the line just a bit too much. Ino cleared her throat harshly. "Come on, forehead, Neji's our friend. He might be kind of cold, but you know he's not really a bad guy."

Sakura bit her lip, looking worried. "Yeah... at least I thought so... But what if he's starting to regress back to his old self?"

Ino scowled thinking of the angry, angst-ridden fourteen year old she had first met. And how incredibly different Neji was than him.

The pinkette suddenly gasped. "Ino! What if he really is turning back into the old him? Do you think Hinata's okay?"

The tall blond immediately reassured a nearly panicking Sakura that she was sure Hinata was just fine, and after the other girl thought about it a bit, she agreed that she had overreacted. Ino understood perfectly, she was just worried about their friend. The problem was that the older nurses who had overheard their conversation didn't know Neji the way they did and didn't care to either. That was why she shouldn't have been surprised when a few hours later she heard people talking about how Neji might be abusing his pregnant cousin.

With a despairing groan, she attempted to smother her face with her patient's clipboard. _Poor Neji_.

_~To protect what's precious~_

"Wasn't it way too troublesome?"

Neji blinked, and turned slowly to look at his friend and partner on guard duty at the main gate. He had known Shikamaru for several years now and usually got along quite well with the lazy nin. They would often play shogi together or have in-depth philosophical conversations that others couldn't normally follow. Shikamaru appreciated the fact that Neji could keep up with him almost effortlessly, and Neji appreciated the fact that Shikamaru was one of the few people around noticeably smarter than himself.

That being said, it was rare for Neji to hear this particular tone in Shikamaru's voice. The kind that let everyone know the chain-smoking chuunin was burning with genuine curiosity because he'd discovered something he just couldn't wrap his head around. And Neji just knew he wasn't going to like whatever that something was. "Excuse me?"

Shikamaru sighed and searched his vest for his cigarettes. "You're like me, you prefer to avoid troublesome things if you can. Maybe not to the same extent, but you get what I mean. That kind of stuff annoys you."

Neji warily nodded his agreement.

"And you're not stupid or rash. You don't just go blindly rushing into things the way someone like Naruto or Lee would. You stay calm and assess your situation before making a move."

Another nod.

"And you really don't seem to be the hedonistic type..."

Hedo- oh, this conversation was definitely taking a turn for the worse.

"Plus it just seems totally out of character for you. So seriously... _why_ go through the trouble of having two women at once?"

Neji had the strongest urge to bury his face in his hands. Not that he would ever do something like that, he had an image to maintain.

"I mean, I've just got one, she doesn't even live in the village, and it's already nearly too troublesome. I couldn't even _imagine_ trying to deal with two on a daily basis."

In all honesty, neither could Neji. The very thought gave him a headache.

"So could you explain this to me a little?"

Neji's frown tightened. No, he really couldn't explain it. Not at all. "It's personal."

Shikamaru's eyes narrowed a bit but not in anger or annoyance. No, the resident genius was thinking. Thinking hard. And Hyuuga Neji was his target. A thought that disturbed Neji greatly.

The older boy stiffened in his seat, fighting off the desire to shift uncomfortably beneath the sudden scrutiny. "So I hear it's supposed to snow soon."

The Nara raised one eyebrow slowly, a small smirk now on his lips. Leaning back into his seat, he lit his cigarette in victory. "Yeah, but it's supposed to be a warm winter."

He glanced once more at the long-haired brunette, smirking again. It was impossible to solve a puzzle when you weren't given all the pieces, but it wasn't impossible to start the assembly and get that much closer to the finished product.

Not only was something about this whole situation very off, but Hyuuga Neji was lying about something.

_~To protect what's precious~_

Kiba whistled as he walked happily down the street. It was a good day. No, strike that, it was a great day. He and Shino had just signed up to take their Jounin tests the coming month, the new issue of Icha Icha Paradise had just come out, the hot girl who worked at the dango stand had hit on him (Shino need never know of that), and he'd just finished having a surprisingly pleasant lunch with his sister, who he no longer saw on a daily basis since moving to the Aburame compound. Apparently she was thinking about getting married. True, the guy was a civilian, but Kiba had always kind of liked him. Kind of. No one was ever actually _good enough_ for his sister.

Now it was off to the bookstore to purchase the newest addition to his growing collection of erotic novels. One of the best things about finally being eighteen was that he could now legally purchase his favorite books. And no one even called him a pervert for reading them because they all thought that the Inuzuka clan were like a bunch of dogs in heat. Yes, they were a bit more amorous than the average human, but it's not like they put sex on the same level as eating.

He exited the book store, novel in hand and a stupid grin on his face, exchanging nods with the copy-cat ninja as they passed each other. He and Kakashi had gotten along quite well since an incident a few months ago; the man had vouched for his age when a store owner was refusing him service, saying he was too young. The boy sniffed. Why did you have to be eighteen before they would let you buy these books anyway? You became a shinobi at twelve, were allowed to drink at sixteen, were considered an adult sexually speaking (a.k.a. you were allowed to legally bang whoever you wanted) at sixteen, and yet you had to be eighteen to buy porn? It was stupid. Most ninja had lost their virginity by then anyway, and those that hadn't knew how it all worked. What exactly were they trying to shield people from?

He was so busy contemplating the ridiculousness of Konoha's porn laws and smiling stupidly at his new book, that he didn't even see the couple standing right outside the door. Until he smacked right into the male of the pair.

"Aw, geez, I'm sorry!" The Inuzuka rubbed his nose where it had hit a broad chest... A broad green chest...

Kiba didn't have to lift his head to recognize the people's smells. Mint and steel polish. Lee and Tenten.

_Shit! What do I do? Stay calm._ Brown eyes screwed shut in concentration. _Just be nice. Yeah, that's right, just be nice and act like everything's completely normal._ "Oh, hey guys. What's goin' on?"

Two pairs of standard issue shinobi sandals shifted uncomfortably. _Baka, look up! Stop talking to their feet!_ A brown head snapped up jerkily. "How have you guys been?"

It wasn't hard for Kiba to tell Lee felt as awkward as he did. The green-clad boy had always worn his emotions on his sleeve after all, and with the tight smile and darting eyes... Yeah, he felt awkward.

Tenten on the other hand... Kiba nearly ran away at the look she was giving him. It wasn't anger, nothing like that. In fact, Kiba had a hard time describing what exactly it was, but it was piercing, and searching, and distrusting, and it scared him shitless. Because he _knew _one wrong move and he'd end up as a pin cushion. Even worse... he'd have a bitchy kunoichi on his hands. And he had learned after living his entire life with his mother and sister, that _that_ was one of the scariest things on earth.

"We have been well," Lee answered promptly, giving him a smile that was much more strained than usual. "Have you been fully embracing your youth on this fine day, Kiba-kun?"

"Ah, youth, yeah. Yeah, I've... I've embraced it all right. Thanks for askin'."

Kami, this sucked.

"I see you have purchased new reading material," the spandex-clad boy continued, trying to make things seem normal and apparently under the impression that the more they talked, the more comfortable things would become. Kiba was personally disinclined to agree. "May I ask what has excited your youthful mind?"

Next to him, Tenten snorted drolly. "Excited's the right word all right."

Lee blinked at her, obviously confused, then focused his attention back on the book in Kiba's hand, reading the title this time. And immediately blushed red.

"Ah..." Kiba laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, it's pretty good, especially the later ones. You should try it Lee." He attempted a toothy smile, then realized how sexist that had sounded, acting like only the other male of the group would enjoy the books. Like women didn't read porn when he knew for a fact they did. "You too, Tenten. You might like it."

Tenten just stared. Lee gave him the usual good-guy pose, complete with temporary blindness, and said loudly, "That is very thoughtful of you, Kiba-kun! However, I am not sure our youthful spirits are quite as... free... as yours..." He seemed to lose steam towards the end as he blushed again.

Kiba chuckled, feeling some of his tension ease away as Lee became more relaxed. "Naw, they're not that bad. I mean, yeah, they have sex and stuff, but it isn't pointless porn. There is a plot." He folded his arms behind his head, smile in place. "I actually got Hina-chan to read one, believe it or not. Even she admitted it was enjoyable."

Lee looked startled at the thought of sweet, shy Hinata reading Jiraiya's books. Tenten didn't. "So she likes porn, big surprise."

Kiba's happy smile slowly slipped away.

"Tenten," Lee immediately admonished softly, "lots of people read erotic romance novels. Like Kiba and Kakashi-sensei for instance."

"Yeah, you really need to lighten up." Kiba _knew_ the second those words left his lips that they had been a mistake. Brown eyes snapped towards him, flashing dangerously, mouth set in a hard line. The dog-nin stiffened, waiting for her to whip out her scrolls and shower him in kunai.

"'Lighten up', huh? Like Hina-chan?"

Oh great, he had practically been asking for it, mentioning Hinata around Tenten. Moron. "Ah, that's not really-"

"I mean, I could 'lighten up' like her. It really wouldn't be hard." Her lips twisted into a bitter smile. "All I'd have to do is sleep with someone else's boyfriend and get pregnant, right?"

Kiba's own brown eyes turned cold, any and all traces of friendliness disappearing as fast as they'd come. "Watch it."

The smile widened deviously. "Why so serious, Kiba? I thought you wanted me to 'lighten up' and be more like your... _relaxed_ teammate."

A low growl started at the base of Kiba's throat, rumbling through his chest as he bared his sharp canines. "Shut up, Tenten. Don't talk about shit you don't understand."

A harsh laugh forced its way from the older girl, and next to her, Lee winced. He had never heard Tenten sound like that before. "What's not to understand? 'Why' they started fucking each other? Who cares? Neither of them had the decency to do things properly, and that's all that matters. But then again, I guess Hinata did 'lighten up', right?" She snorted. "Sorry, Kiba, but it's not exactly difficult. Anyone could be a whore."

The growl turned into a roar, making the boy sound more like a lion than a dog, as he launched himself at the bun-haired girl. Rarely did Kiba ever seriously attack another Konoha shinobi. Sure, he sparred, sometimes intensely, with others all the time, but that was different. There was no true malicious intent in those practice fights. Even during something like his fight with Naruto back at the first Chuunin Exams, he hadn't really wanted to _hurt_ the blond. Beat and humiliate him, yeah, but not cause any real harm.

This was different. Tenten had pushed the wrong buttons, insulted one of the few people Kiba would _not_ allow you to insult, and that person had enough to deal with without Tenten's crap. Tenten who was supposed to be their friend. It just wasn't okay.

Out for blood, he pulled his fist back, watching Tenten instinctively move into a defensive stance... when someone caught him with a sharp kick to the middle, sending him flying back. He smashed hard into the front of the book store, but not hard enough, luckily, to do any damage to the building. That was only, of course, because Lee had held back most of his true power. Now the bushy-browed boy moved to stand in front of Tenten protectively, giving Kiba a stern look. Kiba growled in response.

"Kiba-kun, I can understand your anger. However, I cannot allow you to attack my teammate in such an unyouthful way."

The growl got louder. "Fuck you, Lee, you heard what she said! I'm not lettin' it go just like that!"

Lee moved into a fighting stance, eyes growing even more serious. "Then I am afraid you shall have to face me."

Kiba felt frustration bubble up in his gut. He didn't want to fight Lee, he had nothing against Lee. But if the older boy insisted on protecting that bitch, well then... He moved to prepare himself for an attack, Akamaru barking somewhere just to his left, unwilling to get involved unless his master called for him. He shifted his weight, ready to launch himself, already beginning to formulate a plan, something to compensate for Lee's incredible speed...

He froze when a heavy hand fell on his shoulder. "Well now, what's going on here?"

Turning slowly towards that familiar voice, he was met with a masked face, visible eye shaped in an upside down u. Fuck.

"Kakashi-sensei," Lee said, surprise coloring his voice. He had dropped the fighting stance and Tenten had moved up to stand beside him. "Good afternoon."

"Is it?" the man said, almost as if talking to himself. "I wonder... And what were you three up to?"

His pleasant tone and dorky smile didn't fool any of them. He was not a particularly happy man at the moment.

"Nothing," Tenten insisted when both boys remained silent. "We were just talking."

Kiba would have scoffed at her if Kakashi hadn't been making him so nervous. Talking indeed. It was Tenten's stupid talking that had gotten them to this point in the first place. This was all her fault. Evil little...

As his angry brown eyes fixed on the girl's figure, his brain seemed to come to a dead stop. Because his nose was suddenly picking up things it hadn't before. He had always been able to detect emotions thanks to his sense of smell. When people felt certain ways their bodies would react by giving off certain chemicals, without fail. Some emotions, like fear, Kiba could smell a mile away. Some had a much subtler scent, had taken time to learn, and could still only be smelled if the person felt that way in abundance. The way Tenten did now.

There was some slight fear coming from her, more apprehension really, and he was sure that was thanks to Kakashi. There was anger, still plentiful from her and Kiba's argument/fight. There was a sense of relief, maybe because she was glad Kakashi had stepped in and stopped the fight before it got serious. But most of all, there was sadness. An overwhelming, crushing sadness that made the Inuzuka choke and rub desperately at his nose, trying to keep the smell away. How had he not noticed it before?

Kiba became suddenly aware of how hard all of this must be for Tenten. Hinata was the one pregnant, the one being called a whore, yes. Neji was the one being falsely accused when he was innocent, sure. But Tenten wasn't immune to what was happening. She felt betrayed. She thought two of her friends, one of them her teammate and boyfriend, had selfishly gone behind her back. She thought she had meant so little to them that they wouldn't even tell her what was really going on, didn't find her important enough to just be honest. And now, with the way gossip was spreading, it was even worse. People weren't talking about her the way they were the Hyuugas, but she still had her name brought up a fair share of times. Kiba had heard it. The pity people gave her or the rude remarks. The ninja who had laughed, said cruel things like how she must be a pretty lousy lay to make her boyfriend go in search of someone else. So of course she was angry, of course she said mean things. She was hurt. And while part of Kiba still wanted to take revenge for what was said about Hinata, the other part realized how much of a bastard he had been to not even notice Tenten was suffering as well. He was supposed to be her friend too, not just Hinata and Neji's. He had really let her down.

"Ah, I see," Kakashi continued, reminding Kiba he was there. "Here I was worried you might be about to fight in the middle of a public street rather than the training grounds." His grip on Kiba's shoulder tightened just a little. "But three young shinobi of your caliber would never do something like that. Right?"

All three teenagers appeared properly chastised at his words. It wasn't often that Hatake Kakashi bothered to stop and lecture someone. After all, it wasn't like he himself was a big follower of the rules. But in this case, he was right. The area, while not overly crowded, was still full of people milling about, civilians and shops all up and down the narrow street. If Kiba and Lee had gotten into any kind of serious fight there, like they had been about to, some serious damage could have been caused. And while damage wasn't uncommon in a ninja village, there were limits. The kids weren't gennin anymore, they were chuunin, and all at what was really a jounin level. They should learn to start acting like it. Someone could have been hurt.

Already feeling guilty even before the copy-cat had scolded them, Kiba immediately stepped in to take responsibility. "Sumimasen, Kakashi-sensei, it was my fault. I wasn't thinking." He looked directly at Tenten and Lee, eyes earnest. "Sumimasen, guys."

Both older teens blinked, surprised by his sudden change in attitude. Slowly, Lee smiled at him. "It is quite all right, Kiba-kun."

Tenten gave him a small nod as well, and Kiba felt his spirits lift.

"**There you are my Eternal Rival!" **

The loud, sudden appearance of one Maito Gai demanded their immediate attention. As the man began to spout something about youth and youthful challenges and youthful challenges with Kakashi, the silver-haired jounin fixed the kids with a harsh, one-eyed glare. And while Lee remained blissfully oblivious, Kiba and Tenten both knew what that look meant. 'You'll pay for giving him the opportunity to sneak up on me.' One way or another, Kiba was sure his days were numbered.

Gai suddenly stopped his ranting, however, surveying the scene with a critical eye. Even if the hostility had diminished, it was still pretty telling. Tenten and Lee facing Kiba and Kakashi, who had yet to remove the restraining hand he had on the dog-nin, the tense feeling that still hung in the air. The man may have been loud and eccentric, but he was also a jounin. **"Is there a problem here? I hope you weren't engaging in acts unbecoming of your Vibrant Youth." **

Lee looked like he wanted to hang himself and Tenten pointedly looked away. Now Kiba just felt even worse about everything. He certainly hadn't meant to get their sensei involved.

"Don't worry, Gai, everything's under control. They were" -he fixed the children with a hard stare- "just talking."

Kiba glanced gratefully at the older man. He knew that was Kakashi's way of saying he was letting them off with a warning.

Before something else could happen, Tenten said a quick, "We have to be going now," and dragged Lee behind her into the book store. She shot Kiba one last look, but it wasn't angry or threatening. It was simple and even, and Kiba knew it was her way of saying that he was basically forgiven. That while she was still hurt and couldn't completely forget, they should try and put this incident behind them. He smiled at her softly. He understood.

Suddenly the day seemed pretty good once again. Turning to go, he felt Kakashi's grip on him tighten and blinked up at the slightly taller man in surprise. "Kakashi-sensei? Ah... look, I really am sorry about all that. It won't happen again, I swear."

That didn't seem to be what Kakashi wanted, though. He was looking him over in a very odd way, and when Kiba turned his attention to the suddenly very close green-clad jounin, he found that he was doing the same as well. What the hell did they want?

"**Kiba-kun,"** Gai began, **"did your Unyouthful spat with my students pertain to the Unique and Highly talked-about relationship of my third student and his Sweet flower of a cousin?" **

It took poor Kiba a moment to wrap his head around that. Did Gai really need to talk that way? "Hina-chan and Neji? Yeah, it did."

"**Ah."** Gai nodded in this understanding type of way. **"Yes, that has been a very Volatile subject as of late."** He fixed Kiba with a stern look. **"You should not let the Unyouthful words of others upset you so." **

Immediately Kiba was on edge again. Screw that, he couldn't calmly watch people insult his friends. "Look, they don't know what the hell they were talkin' about! I'm not just gonna stand by and let them falsely accuse-"

He sucked in a breath harshly, stopping about two words too late. Shit, what had he done?

Kakashi and Gai both gave him these _knowing_ looks, and he couldn't help but wonder if he'd just been set up. "Falsely accuse?" Kakashi asked innocently. "I don't understand."

"**Do please explain, Kiba-kun." **

Lousy bastards. So they knew something about all this wasn't right, and they were fishing for information. Well, they sure as hell wouldn't get any from him. "Look, I'm runnin' late so-"

"From the way it sounded," Kakashi cut him off, putting his arm around the boy's shoulders in what should have been a friendly but actually felt suffocating manner, "it would seem things aren't really the way they appear. Is there something we're missing, Kiba?"

Okay, this could be bad. They didn't seem willing to just let him go, so he had to tread carefully here. "Of course not. I just meant-"

"**I would Very Much like to know what it is that we have misunderstood. After all, it is not Youthful in the least to be given the wrong information." **

"I agree, Gai. So maybe Kiba would like to tell us what it is we don't know."

"There's nothing you don't know," he insisted quickly. "I just meant I don't like false rumors." There that... wait...

"_False_ rumors?"

Okay, so he was officially a moron; but he wasn't good at thinking under pressure, dammit. "No! Any rumors, I don't like rumors in general! At all!"

"Are you lying to us, Kiba?"

"**It is most Unyouthful to tell falsehoods, Kiba-kun."**

Oh Kami, they were ganging up on him. They were working _together_. How the hell did that happen? Shit, why did he have to have such a big fucking mouth? He had to get away.

"Surely you know something, right, Kiba?"

"**Yes, Kiba-kun, please tell us what you know." **

Dammit, Ino was going to wring his neck. And then Neji would find him and kill him very, very slowly. And then Hinata would be upset with him, and that in turn would make Shino angry and... Oh no. If Hinata got upset because of him, Shino would be _pissed_. No one hurt Hinata-chan, not even one of them. A pissed off Shino... he would never have sex with him again. Oh _hell_ no!

"I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!" And the Inuzuka fled down the street, dog at his heels, while the two jounin shared a frown. They'd almost had him.

_~To protect what's precious~_

Sai found himself confused. Frostbite had cheated on Bun-bun with Stutters. That he understood well enough. What he didn't understand was why people were getting so upset about it. Obviously Frostbite had found something about Bun-bun unsatisfactory and had instead chosen to go with Stutters. Wasn't it normal for relationships of all kinds to not last? What was the big deal?

But when he'd ventured to voice this earlier, he and Naruto had been immediately pummeled by a random kunoichi who was apparently Bun-bun's friend or something. And the blond hadn't been happy about being lumped in with Sai and his dangerous stupidity. Which was why the two of them were now sporting their new bruises at Ichiraku's, eating lunch while Naruto attempted to explain to Sai why everyone was making such a fuss over the Neji/Tenten/Hinata situation. Thus far it wasn't going very well.

"Y'see, Sai, there are _ways_ to do things," the Hokage-wannabe said around a mouthful of noodles. "You were right when you said relationships end all the time, but you have to actually _end_ it before you move on to another one. You can't have two at once. Understand?"

"Not really."

The blond sighed despairingly and mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like 'hopeless'. Chouji, who just happened to be enjoying his lunch at the same ramen stand and had taken a seat next to his friends, was now beginning to wish he hadn't done so. He didn't want anything to do with the whole mess, nothing at all. He didn't even want to be near people when they were talking about it.

"Sai, when you wanna end a relationship, you have to break up with the other person. Like officially. Let them know it's over. _Then_ you can find someone else to have a different relationship with. Hey, old man, another bowl!"

The pale shinobi was scribbling furiously in the little notebook he'd taken to carrying with him. "Now I see. Frostbite failed to officially end his relationship with Bun-bun. And that is considered socially unacceptable."

"Exactly!"

Sai paused, frowned a bit, then asked, "And why is it considered unacceptable?"

Naruto groaned and hit his head repeatedly off of the counter. "All right, Sai, let's look at it this way. Pretend that while I was still dating Sakura-chan I started also sleeping with, I don't know, Ino..."

Chouji ate his ramen in silence, listening to the blond's new way of trying to explain the whole thing and thinking that there were easier, better ways to do it. Not that he would say anything. He wasn't going to touch it with a ten foot pole.

Finally, a good ten minutes later, "Ah... I believe I understand now. It is dishonest and hurtful to the person being cheated on."

"Yes! Very good, Sai!" A fourth bowl of ramen was placed in front of the Kyuubi-vessel. "Arigatou, jiisan!"

Sai picked at his own ramen, still obviously somewhat confused even if he now understood the basics of the whole problem. "It seems very complicated. Why bother to go through it all rather than just do things the 'acceptable' way?"

Naruto barked out a laugh at that. "Who knows. There's a lotta reasons people do stupid shit. Maybe Neji just got really horny one night and couldn't wait."

Chouji silently thought that if Neji ever heard Naruto say that, the blond wouldn't live long enough to become Hokage.

"But then why would Stutters agree to it?"

Naruto drained his bowl and set it down with a thunk. "That's probably the most confusing part about this whole thing. A lotta people are calling her a whore and stuff but-"

A heavy hand fell onto the blond's shoulder, making him jump with a very high-pitched (girly) squeak. "Would you care to repeat that?"

Wide, terrified blue eyes slowly turned to look behind him. "Shino. Hey, how ya doin'?"

The Aburame made no move to answer. He just _stared_. At least, Naruto thought he was staring. His glasses were pointing in the blond's general direction. Where else would he be looking?

"Ah, what I just said, about Hinata-chan-"

"It is considered very rude to talk about one behind their back." The glasses glinted dangerously. "It is also most unappreciated."

Naruto had to swallow hard around the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat. When had it gotten so cold? "I... I know that. It's just that Sai didn't understand what was going on. Y'know, because he's an emotional moron. So I was just trying to explain it all to him. I didn't mean nothin' by it."

Shino's head tilted just the slightest bit in Sai's direction while the pale boy smiled his way. Then the gaze continued on to where Chouji was staring straight ahead of him like his life depended on it. He wasn't going to get involved...

"Be sure you are more careful with your words in the future."

Naruto absolutely shivered as the hand was removed and the layered shinobi casually walked away. He was suddenly reminded just _why_ he had thought of Shino as creepy for all those years and was immensely glad he was friends with the quiet boy rather than enemies.

"Congratulations, dickless. Not only are you apparently lacking a penis but a pair of balls as well."

A vein in the blond's forehead started to throb. "Stupid Sai-bastard, stop talking about my genitals! My penis and balls are both masculine and amazing! You hear me? Amazing!"

Chouji calmly order another bowl of ramen.

_~To protect what's precious~_

"Can you _believe_ Kiba? Lighten up. What a thing to say."

Lee blinked at the fuming girl, eyes wide and innocent. "But, Tenten, you did in fact purchase a copy of Jiraiya-sama's new book at his suggestion."

Immediately, the weapons mistress flushed red. "Yeah, but that's _not_ the point, Lee."

"Then what is the point?"

"The point is..." She looked into large, dark eyes and shook her head, expression softening. "Never mind, Lee, it's okay. Kiba didn't really mean it anyway. I just need to ignore it."

The green-clad shinobi nodded slowly, but he still looked at her apprehensively. She knew that look.

"What is it you wanna ask, Lee?"

His gaze shifted away a bit, embarrassed maybe about being so easy to read, before it came back to study her face. "I would like to know what it is about all this that is really bothering you."

Tenten froze, replaying the words in her mind a few times, before fixing the boy with an incredulous stare. Had he really...? "You don't think I have a reason to be bothered?"

Lee's mouth was set in a firm, determined line. "That is not what I said nor what I meant. I can think of many reasons this would bother you. I am asking which ones truly do."

The brunette frowned at her teammate, not exactly sure what he was trying to do. He was being awfully serious for Lee, and he hadn't used the word youthful once. Was he really that concerned? "Don't worry about it, Lee, I'm fine."

"I would be less inclined to worry if you would tell me."

Well that was... really sweet. "Are you sure you wanna listen to me whine about my ex-boyfriend? I think most guys normally try to get out of that kind of thing," she joked lightly.

Lee just smiled, teeth flashing, thumbs up, good-guy pose. "I am afraid that I am not most guys." The pose slowly dropped away. "I always want to know what is worrying you, Tenten."

The girl felt the heat creep up her cheeks. Lee had always been a caring, considerate person, but... had it always been like this? She took a deep breath. "I'm _not_ upset about him breaking up with me, and I'm _not_ jealous, that isn't what this is about. I _trusted_ him. I thought I was at least somewhat important to him, y'know? It really hurts that he didn't even think about how I would feel. I mean, we were at least friends, right? What did I do wrong?"

Lee listened quietly for over an hour. He never interrupted her, and said only one thing when he was sure the girl had finished saying all she needed to say. "Please do not blame yourself for this any longer. If he was foolish enough to hurt you, Tenten, then he does not deserve you. You do not owe him a thing."

For the first time in a while, Tenten truly smiled. "Thanks, Lee. That's... exactly what I needed to hear."

She shouldn't have been surprised when a thumbs-up and a full-length speech about youth was his reply.

* * *

And there it is. Technically a filler chapter since the plot doesn't really move along, I know, but I felt it was important all the same. Sort of a look on how it affects all of their friends to some degree, not just Neji, Hinata, and Tenten. It also shows the different ways people react to the same situation based on how much of the truth they know. Plus it was just plain fun to write.

Now, to answer the questions people had about the second kekkei genkai of Hinata's baby. First of all, I'd like to apologize for not making it clearer. I didn't realize it was so difficult to understand, so I'll spell it out here. The baby has the Byakuugan ability that it inherited from Hinata. It _also_ has another kekkei genkai that it inherited from the father. What this particular ability is, hasn't been revealed yet. This is a problem, because Neji is supposed to be the father. If people find out about the second kekkei genkai, they will know Neji is not the real father of the baby. If you're still confused, let me know and I'll try explaining it differently.

Oh, and I don't know if you can really have two kekkei genkais. I'm not Kishimoto and this is a fanfiction. *shrug* Go with it.

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Magical Fox

Midori

Shadows Dancing in the Mist

Doll-Fin-Chick

Meowchan82

baby-zero

iTomo

MeeCee

So sleepy... can't think of anything clever to say here... review...


	11. Cucumbers Soaked in Brine

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto there would be Byakuugan babies everywhere! So I guess it's not mine.

Hinata- 17/going on 18

Neji- 19

Warnings: Language

* * *

_"Life is tough enough without having someone kick you from the inside."_

**-Rita Rudner**

* * *

**Chapter 10: Cucumbers Soaked in Brine**

The ever-growing teenage girl held a pair of oranges carefully in her hands, weighing and examining each one critically, sighing in disappointment. She didn't like to come to Konoha's large grocery store, especially for things like produce, generally preferring the smaller vendors who sold their wares out in the market. Unfortunately, it was the middle of winter in Konoha. For the next month and a half or so temperatures would continue to be freezing and snow would continue to fall. Meaning traveling merchants and farmers from nearby towns who normally set up stalls in the street would go to warmer climates, like Suna, until the winter had ended. Hinata couldn't wait for that time.

With a sigh, she picked out about five oranges, placing them into her basket, and moving on to the apples. Her trip to the store today was for some fruit, bread, and cat food. And pickles. But only because, for some odd reason, she really, _really_ wanted some fucking pickles. Often. Daily practically. A few days ago she had wanted some in the middle of the night and they hadn't had any. It had resulted in Neji raiding the main house kitchens at four in the morning. Not that she had asked him, he'd just woken from his spot on the couch when she was rifling through their own kitchen. He was the one who offered to actually go. He was always like that, being very attentive to her needs...

The problem was that besides being overly considerate of her, he was avoiding her like the plague. For three weeks now. Ever since that night when he had asked her not to lie to him and she had told him it was none of his business. Quite frankly, it sucked. They had been getting along so damn well, and then she had to go and mess it all up. She missed his company, missed the playful banter they had shared, missed having meals with him. She just missed him. Yes, she saw him at some point every day, but he was never really there. Not anymore. It was awful.

Besides that, though, things weren't so bad. She was still pulling eight hour shifts six days a week at the hospital, working as a nurse in the pediatrics ward because her chakra was long gone. She saw her boys and Ino constantly, and her other friends, though a bit awkward around her at first, had loosened up quickly and treated her normally. Pregnancy was often uncomfortable but not unbearable. She had to pee constantly, her back was starting to hurt more every day it seemed, and, as mentioned prior, she couldn't live without some fucking pickles; but really it wasn't _that_ bad. In fact, it could come in handy sometimes.

Like the week before when her father had called her to his study and demanded to know if what he had heard was true and Neji was mistreating her. She had been so shocked by the accusation she had stared stupidly before gaining her wits and answering. Her father had taken her hesitation to mean she was lying and covering for her cousin, despite how many times she insisted that Neji had never raised a hand to her. Then something inside her had snapped and she had been sobbing, loudly, in a way she had never done in front of another human being, sputtering something about poor Neji and how this was all her fault and she was a horrible person. She had never seen the Hyuuga head so terrified, and later, when she was fully coherent again, she thought maybe the occasional mood swing wasn't so bad, seeing as how it was the only thing that could get her overbearing father to shut the hell up.

Paying for her groceries and carefully ignoring any open stares (they had finally started to lessen, thank Kami), she started the slow walk home, snow crunching underfoot. The streets, while by no means empty, were far too quiet, people preferring to stay inside because of the weather if they could. It made everything seem dead. She shivered, wishing she a hand free to pull her scarf tighter around her neck. She seriously hated winter, it was so damn cold. You would think with the weight she had gained she would at least be able to keep warm, but no. Her body refused to produce natural heat just as it always did. And she had gotten to the size where movement was starting to become a bit awkward, making it harder to keep her balance. She could just visualize herself slipping on a patch of ice and breaking her clumsy neck. Or worse, miscarrying.

She paused as any humor in the situation abruptly died. She couldn't think about something bad happening to her baby. Not even jokingly.

"Hinata?" a soft, female voice called.

The girl in question blinked, startled, and slowly turned, pale eyes widening. "Kurenai-sensei."

The red-eyed woman smiled warmly at the girl as she approached. "I thought that was you. How are you doing?" She blatantly eyed the Hyuuga's stomach, though not in a judging or disgusted way. If anything, Hinata would call it curious. She hadn't, after all, seen her sensei since she had announced her pregnancy and started showing.

"Oh, I-I'm okay." The shy girl shifted her weight nervously, apprehensive about suddenly running into the woman who was the closest thing to a mother she had. Who knew what her old sensei thought of her now after all the talk going around.

"That's good..." Kurenai looked her student in the eye, studying her face searchingly. "Hinata, would you like to come over for a little while? I'd really like to catch up with you, it's been forever. Besides, you haven't seen Chihiro lately."

Hinata felt an odd sense of calm slowly wash over her at the woman's invitation. "That sounds lovely."

"Good. Then let me take one of those bags. It wasn't so long ago I was pregnant myself, I know how difficult it can be. Not that you can't handle it on your own, it's just easier when you have someone to help you."

The girl made no protest and relinquished the heavier of the two bags with a grateful little smile. "You... you d-didn't have anyone to h-h-help you, sensei."

Immediately, Kurenai shook her head. "That's not true. I may not have had someone around all the time, but I had plenty of help. You and the boys were around often enough, and Shikamaru was there constantly. I had all the help I could have asked for..." Crimson eyes glanced down at her before looking away again quickly. "Do you have someone who normally helps you, Hinata?"

Hinata knew what that question was really asking. "I have someone who would do anything to help me, sensei."

No more was said on the subject, and Neji's name was never once mentioned.

Stepping into Kurenai's small home, Hinata felt the warmth wash over her like a blessing. Ah, heat. The pitter-patter of tiny footsteps immediately drew her attention, and a dark-haired, red-eyed little girl came bursting unsteadily into the room, babbling unintelligibly as chubby arms reached for her mother.

"Hello, sweetheart," Kurenai cooed, sweeping the girl up into her arms. "Did you miss me?"

Hinata stared in shock. "She's gotten so big. I didn't even know she was walking yet."

Kurenai smiled proudly at her daughter. "She just started walking about two weeks ago, but she immediately took off when she did. Now I can't get her to slow down."

"How old is she now?"

"She's thirteen months, so she was a bit of a late bloomer with this. But," the woman's eyes sparkled, "she's already started to say a few words, correctly, and the other day she strung together a three-word sentence. Most kids her age haven't started doing that yet." Stroking a lock of dark hair behind the child's ear, Kurenai said softly, "Chihiro, say hello to Hinata."

The child blinked up at her mother before uttering a clear, "H'llo." Then she proceeded to watch the pale-eyed girl in her kitchen with a look on her face that said she recognized Hinata but couldn't understand why.

There were heavier footsteps followed by a lazy, "Ne, Kurenai, that better be you, because it's way too troublesome to fight off a kidnapper."

Kurenai rolled her eyes as a familiar ponytailed brunette came to the doorway. The child in her arms immediately began bouncing excitedly. "Sika!"

Shikamaru's lazy expression immediately changed to a warm smile, and he plucked the child from Kurenai's grasp into his own. "Hey, cutie. Why is it you get excited to see me now when I've been here for hours?" He looked up at the two women then, and gave a nod in the younger one's direction. "Hey, Hinata."

"H-hello, Shikamaru."

"You doing okay?"

She smiled for him. "Ah, y-yes, I'm fine."

"Shika, would you like to stay for some tea?" Kurenai offered, already moving to boil the water.

"Gomen, I can't today. Gotta help my dad... so troublesome..."

Hinata couldn't suppress a giggle at the boy's words. Shikamaru really never changed.

"Well, thank you for babysitting again."

"Anytime, Kurenai, you know that." He turned back to the girl still in his arms and hugged her closely for a few moments. "Bye, angel. I'll see you soon."

As he set her down and headed to the front door, the child called, "Bye-bye, Sika!" after his retreating back. Hinata didn't know if she'd ever seen anything more adorable.

"Hinata, take off that coat," Kurenai demanded, suddenly standing very close to her. "I want to see how big you are."

The girl flushed bright red, fiddling absently with her zipper. "Ano..."

"Don't even try that with me, you take it off right now."

Well, who could argue with the woman when she used her best sensei voice like that? The familiar coat was immediately discarded, and she could hear Kurenai's small gasp over the rustling of the fabric. "When did you get so big? How far along are you?"

Hinata bit back a sigh as her sensei laid her palms over her rounded stomach. "Twenty-two weeks."

"I thought it was around that. And you're already this big?"

A frown twisted the pale girl's face. "Yes." It was only a continuing source of discomfort, annoyance, and people constantly asking if she was having twins, like one wasn't enough. It was no wonder she never wanted to take her coat off.

Kurenai patted her arm sympathetically. "Don't worry, everyone grows at their own pace. Some women get bigger faster than others. It's nothing to worry about."

She wasn't worried, she was irritated.

The teapot let out a shrill whistle, announcing the water was done, and Kurenai rushed to fetch it. Slumping bonelessly into a chair, Hinata noticed the small, red-eyed girl, still in the kitchen, watching her closely. She mentally berated herself for not coming around more, no matter how hectic things had been. The child didn't even recognize her any longer. Children that young couldn't truly retain the memory of someone unless they saw them constantly, after all. Hinata would have to make it a point to visit more frequently.

Kurenai came back with two steaming cups of tea, raising an eyebrow at her daughter's antics. "What, you're still here? Go play, Chihiro, Mommy wants to have some grown-up time now."

The small girl shot one more suspicious look Hinata's way before toddling off to the living room and a mountain of toys. The Hyuuga smiled softly. What would it be like when her daughter was that age? Maybe she could bring her over to play with Chihiro. They'd only be about a year and a half apart.

The two women chatted companionably for a while, sipping their tea, exchanging news about their lives. Kurenai talked more about Chihiro and Konohamaru who often dropped by, Hinata told her about Shino and Kiba, they giggled mutually over Shikamaru and Temari's budding relationship. Everything was going well, until the younger girl suddenly jerked in her seat, nearly dropping her cup of tea.

"Hinata?" A hand landed gently on her shoulder. "Sweetie, what's wrong?"

"I... I don't know."

Kurenai didn't fail to notice the one hand that had come to rest on the girl's abdomen. "Is it the baby?"

"Yes... but..."

"Does it hurt?"

"No, it j-just... felt strange. Like... l-like a thump."

"A thump?" Kurenai relaxed visibly, an amused smile spreading across her face. "Was this the first time you felt a thump?"

"H-hai. W-why is that n-n-normal?"

"You could say that." The older woman willed herself not to laugh or tease too much. "Have you felt anything else before? Something that felt like butterflies or a bubbling feeling-"

"Popcorn."

Kami, she could really be adorable sometimes. "What?"

"I-I... i-it felt like p-p-popcorn popping sometimes, ins-side my stomach." She touched right around her navel. "Here. But th-that was just gas..." Pale eyes blinked. "R-right?"

"Well, maybe sometimes. But considering you just felt a 'thump', I'm pretty sure it was mostly something else."

"Something..." Understanding dawned on the girl, showing visibly across her features. "That was the baby kicking."

Kurenai smirked. "I'd say so."

Hinata swallowed thickly, feeling her eyes tear up for reasons completely beyond her comprehension. "M-my b-b-baby kicked."

And the next thing she knew she was sobbing as her old sensei lightly rubbed her back, telling her not to bother trying to fight it because she wouldn't win anyway.

Damn hormones.

_~To protect what's precious~_

_The entrance wasn't difficult to find. All right, maybe it would have been difficult for someone who didn't possess the Byakuugan, but for Hinata it was just a matter of circling the perimeter once and spotting the hidden doorway. Now she crouched camouflaged in the branches of a tree, waiting for Kiba and Shino to join her. All of her senses were on high alert, knowing how dangerous this area was. She couldn't afford to let her guard down for even a second._

_Movement from inside the lab caught her eye, head immediately snapping in that direction. Someone was inside. Possibly a leftover from when Orochimaru had run it, or a missing-nin who had taken up temporary residence in the convenient shelter..._

_Veined eyes widened and Hinata jerked forward, not believing what she saw, pulse quickening. It couldn't be..._

_~To protect what's precious~_

Damn snow.

Neji irritably yanked at the collar of his coat, shivering in cold and disgust at the feel of wet, slushy liquid sliding down his back. Because of course in the five seconds he had paused to fix his shoe a huge pile of the stuff had fallen from a rafter above directly onto his head. And of course it had somehow managed to slip not only inside of his clothes but also past the sheet of hair covering the entire back of his neck. A feat that seemed to defy all logic as well as the rules of physics.

Sighing, he ignored the sniggers of a few nearby children who had witnessed his misfortune and continued on his way, trying not to think about how he would soon be home. Because while up until recently going home had been the most enjoyable part of his day, that was no longer the case. Now being at home with Hinata was awkward at best, downright torturous at worst. Admittedly, that was mostly his fault, but that was beside the point. He was still taking care of her to the best of his ability, after all, so there was really no reason for her to be unhappy with the situation. Hell, the other day he had stumbled through the snow at four in the morning to get to the main house kitchens in order to assuage her odd pregnancy cravings...

That had been a strange experience. He had been rummaging angrily through one of the several large refrigerators that adorned the kitchen, muttering occasionally to himself that he was finding everything but what he wanted, when Hiashi had walked in. That wasn't really much of a surprise; it was a well-known family secret that the Hyuuga head was a closet insomniac, and he often enjoyed tea in the middle of the night to help relax him. The weird look he gave his nephew upon spotting him, however, was rather different. Neji had met his uncle's gaze with bleary, bloodshot eyes and said only one word. "Pickles."

Surprisingly, or maybe not all that surprising when Neji thought about it, Hiashi had instantly understood. He had nodded once and muttered something similar to 'as long as she doesn't cry again' before leaving the room, like what he had just walked in on was a sacred and private matter. It had been... a unique event, to say the least.

Stepping into the compound, still lost in his own troubled thoughts about Hinata, he rounded a corner sharply only to almost bowl over one of his younger cousins. Whoops. "Sumima-" He stopped when the person glared daggers up at him, hair tossed back from a perfect forehead. Hanabi. Shit.

The girl had her lips curled back in a familiar sneer, snapping, "Why don't you watch where you're going, you stupid-" And then her pale, little eyes widened dramatically, and her words died in her throat with an odd strangled sound as she looked into his face. "Neji," she practically choked.

Neji blinked, unsure of what to do. She was giving him a horrified look, not at all like what he had come to expect from her. What was wrong with her now? He decided to act like he always did with her. "Sumimasen, Hanabi-sama, I should have been more careful." He bowed ever so slightly from the waist, resenting the action all the way. He hated bowing to the little brat, especially since it always went to her head.

"I... no... that's all right."

Okay, so it _normally_ went to her head.

"It was my fault too. Sumimasen, Neji... niisan."

It took all of Neji's self-restraint to keep his face impassive. Niisan?

"You... you have a good day, niisan." And she scuttled off, shooting one nervous glance over her shoulder at him, though Neji couldn't even begin to imagine why.

He pinched the bridge of his nose between two fingers, shutting his eyes tightly for a moment. The whole world was going crazy.

He ate dinner with Hinata that night, a stiff silence surrounding them. Eating together was rare now since he purposely stayed out later to avoid her. The first time he had done this and she had waited for him, he had told her there was no need for her to do so. In a very cold tone. She had gotten the message, and the way she had pressed her fingers together and apologized softly made him feel a little sick inside. But, dammit, it was her fault in the first place.

Regardless, she had apparently gotten back somewhat later herself that day after visiting Kurenai. He had asked politely how her old sensei was doing, and she had told him briefly about both the woman and her daughter, who was apparently growing quickly. She'd also mentioned that Chihiro would probably make a good playmate for her own daughter, something he'd immediately agreed with, knowing that he may very well be responsible for overseeing future 'play dates' as he believed they were called. He may have been acting much colder and distant towards Hinata now, but he never gave her any doubts about the baby. He let her know constantly that he would always be there for her daughter. That would never change.

Of course, when she tried to talk about anything but the baby, he immediately turned icy and pretty much killed the conversation with a few sharp remarks. Why? He would love to say he had some ultimate reason for doing this; that it was all part of his master plan to best insure that after the baby was born things would go back to normal and she could take over as head of the clan without complications, or something like that. But he didn't, and it wasn't. He was doing this because he was angry. End of story. And while Hyuuga Neji didn't normally let his emotions get to him like this, well, everyone has a breaking point so to speak. And everyone has that one person that can and will get under their skin. For Neji, Hinata was that person. She had _always_ been that person. It was one of the things that had fueled his hate in his angrier years. She was his biggest weakness.

That was why when she hurt him, it really hurt. And she had hurt him. It was partially his own fault for allowing himself to get so close, for believing that they really had... something. At least a sibling-like affection for each other, if nothing else. He had truly believed that she trusted him, only to find out just how wrong he was. And it hurt. So in turn... he was going to be a jerk.

A small voice said maybe he was acting just a little bit childish about the whole thing.

A very small voice.

It was easy enough to ignore.

_~To protect what's precious~_

Ino stomped up the stairs of the apartment complex, swinging open the door to apartment 308, not bothering to knock despite the fact she didn't live there. It was just Shika's place, after all. He had decided to move out of his parents and get his own apartment after... well, Ino didn't actually know what had happened, but it was when Temari was last visiting and had something to do with Shikamaru's mother. She could only imagine.

"Hey, Ino," Chouji called from the couch where he was munching happily on his ever-present bag of chips.

She grunted something, which might have been a greeting, back and dug through Shikamaru's fridge for some form of alcohol. Shika came stalking lazily (everything he did was so fucking lazy) into the room, eyebrows raised just a fraction, knowing smirk in place. "Ino, good to see you. Bad day?"

She huffed, fingers closing around a bottle of cheap sake, as she made her way to Chouji and plopped herself down next to him, using her chakra to pop the bottle open. "I hate them."

Shikamaru sauntered over, sitting calmly down on Chouji's other side. "Oh yeah, who?"

"Everyone."

"That's good," Chouji nodded, ever the picture of seriousness. "Don't want to discriminate."

Ino made the typical, frustrated beyond sanity noise while tugging at her blond hair a bit and then taking a large swig of sake. "I spent the whole day trying to do damage control because somehow another round of rumors started up, this one saying Neji forced himself on Hinata. Morons. That's not even possible, if Hinata was really in danger like that she could just activate his frickin' seal! Like five seconds of that thing and he'd be down but not seriously injured. Honestly, they've _ruined_ gossip for me!"

Shikamaru shrugged, pulling a cigarette out of seemingly nowhere. "Whatever, let them talk. It's not even really Neji's baby, right?"

Ino nearly dropped the bottle. "How did you...?"

Shikamaru grinned.

Chouji shook his head, taking another handful of chips. "I don't wanna know."

* * *

Yes, Neji is throwing a glorified temper tantrum. You didn't actually think he was the perfect guy, did you? No such thing exists! But don't hate him yet; he's only human.

And now (I can't believe I'm doing this) I will clear away any debt I have with my cousin by officially pimping her story here. She's writing a Naruto high school AU that's actually good and does not have a typical plot, I swear. It really is an enjoyable read (at least I think so), so if you're bored waiting for my lazy ass to update, **go read _Ugh_ by twiztedchild16.** I'm done now.

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	12. Sleeping Beauty in the Snow

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto there would be Byakuugan babies everywhere! So I guess it's not mine.

Hinata- 17/going on 18

Neji- 19

Warnings: Language, Hints of citrus

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_Sing me to sleep  
Sing me to sleep  
I'm tired and I  
I want to go to bed_

**-The Smiths, _Asleep_**

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**Chapter 11: Sleeping Beauty in the Snow**

"N-neji-niisan."

Neji frowned, milky eyes glancing up from the book he'd been enjoying up until about three seconds ago. It wasn't like Hinata to interrupt his reading, even when he wasn't in the middle of giving her the silent treatment. Hence, this had best be important.

"I... I j-just- I just wanted to apologize... for w-w-what I said before."

Neji blinked. Okay, so maybe not the important he had in mind, but he would be more than willing to forgive that, seeing as how he had been waiting on this moment for weeks. He set his book aside, letting her know she had his full attention.

"It... it was wr-wrong of me to... t-t-take you for g-granted like that. I just..."

She pressed her fingers together, and for the first time in what felt like forever, he reached out to stop her. "It's all right."

"I know your a-a-angry," she continued almost breathlessly. "I'm r-r-really, truly sorry."

His face darkened a bit, not liking the way she was so worried because of him. She had been anxious around him since he'd started giving her the cold shoulder, nervous in her typical Hinata way, but it had never been like this. She seemed almost frightened. "I said it's all right. I'm not really angry." And he wasn't. He had never really been _angry_. That wasn't at all the right word to describe how he'd felt.

"I..." She swallowed once, and he saw tears gather in the corner of her eyes.

The responsive tightening of his chest was instantaneous. _Please don't cry._ A hesitant hand reached towards her. "Hinata-sama..."

He startled a little when she suddenly knelt next to the couch, laying her head in his lap. Well this was... different. Was she having another mood swing?

"I just really don't want you mad at me."

His stomach lurched. Shit. Slender fingers raked through long, indigo locks, petting her in a slow, steady motion. "I'm not-"

"Neji, I think I love you."

His whole body froze. It was like his mind hit a dead-end and all thought ceased except for that one phrase, playing over and over again in his brain. He remembered to breathe and drew in a quick, sharp breath, trying to keep himself calm. Fingers tightened just slightly around the silky strands and he gave the slightest of tugs, not enough to pull or hurt, just enough to emit a steady pressure and force her eyes to meet his. He licked his lips lightly before saying in a blank tone, "Repeat that."

She looked right at him, visibly nervous, but gaze unwavering. "I think I love you, niisan."

Neji could barely hear anything over the blood singing in his ears. His free hand came up to stroke her cheek, noting how soft it was beneath his calloused fingers. Her lavender-tinted eyes fluttered closed, dark lashes contrasting against her pale skin, her breath coming out in fast little puffs. She was so beautiful.

He leaned forward, tilting her head up before pressing his lips gently to hers. Her lips were just as soft as the rest of her, felt soothing against his own chapped ones. He kept the kiss light at first, gaging her reactions, before slowly deepening it, pressing more firmly. His tongue shot out to lick her lips, and after a moment of hesitation, she complied to his silent request. Mouth now open for him to explore, he dove in, relishing her taste, like honey. Her tongue played along with his, rose to his challenge, even though it couldn't possibly win. And he kissed her more hungrily by the second, needing her, wanting to devour her and leave her completely breathless.

They parted for air only briefly before he attacked her once more, sliding off the couch to kneel on the floor beside her. His hand slid down her face, her neck, unzipped her damnable jacket and pushed the fabric apart. The searching appendage found one full, round breast, not wrapped in tight bindings for once, covered only by a spandex t-shirt and bra. He felt her gasp against him as he palmed the heavy breast, teased it through the fabric, pinched lightly at where he knew the nipple was. He left her lips to trail hot kisses down her throat, nipping at the skin, determined to mark her at least once as his.

"Neji," she gasped, hands coming up to fist in his hair. "Neji... Neji, get up or you'll be l-late..."

He paused, giving her a queer look. That was certainly an odd thing to say.

"Come on, niisan, you have m-mission room d-d-d-duty in an hour."

He felt a pressure, shaking his shoulder, insistently, and in that moment he knew what was going on. _No. No, it can't be. Please..._

But when his eyes opened, Hinata was standing over him, shaking him awake. And there was no denying it.

A dream.

Neji was torn. Part of him wanted to rage, scream and throw things like a child who'd had his favorite toy taken away. Part of him wanted to roll over and go back to sleep, duty be damned, in hopes that the dream would return and pick up where it had left off. And part of him wanted to curl up in a ball and just cry. Because he had finally had what he wanted most, only to have it all be some kind of sick, twisted joke Kami was playing on him. Hinata had been in his arms. Kissing him. Letting him touch her. Dammit, he wanted it back.

"Niisan?"

He realized that his personal angst had been showing plainly on his face, and he quickly schooled it back to his usual blank expression. It wouldn't do to have someone see his dilemma, whether they knew what it was about or not. He had to act normal as always. "Is breakfast ready?"

"I-in about fifteen m-m-minutes. You should go s-s-start your exercises."

A small nod, and he sat up, stifling a yawn, irritably pushing strands of chocolate hair from his face. He tried not to show it, but he really wasn't much of a morning person. And for some reason he was particularly uncomfortable...

_Shit!_

Horrified, he glanced down to his lap, breathing a small sigh of relief when he saw it still covered by the blanket he slept under. He carefully avoided any and all eye contact with his cousin who was giving him a strange look. "Actually, Hinata-sama, I think I'll take a quick shower."

Her lavender eyes narrowed dubiously. "A shower?"

He didn't blame her for her suspicions. He had a strict morning routine he adhered to, broken only by missions or the occasion when Gai insisted on some 'Robust early morning training to help Invigorate their bodies in the Springtime of their Youth'. He would wake up, do his usual morning katas, meditate, come in and eat breakfast, dress, and go about his day. Seeing as how the katas were never enough to make him sweat, this routine never involved a shower or bath. He always did that at the end of his day, either at night or when he returned from training. It was better for his hair.

"Hai." Yet he made no move to rise and do as he planned. He couldn't, not with her still standing there. How to get rid of her? Well, that wouldn't be too difficult, he knew how intimidated she was by him.

Expression turned icy, eyes hard like diamond, mouth set in a tight frown. "Did you need something, Hinata-sama?" _Just go quickly._

She took a half-step back when faced with his hurtful tone. "N-no. I just wanted to m-m-make sure you're all r-right."

He nearly snorted. Funny, why should she be allowed to check if he was all right? Whenever he had tried to do the same for her, he'd been told it was none of his business. It hardly seemed fair, but it wouldn't do to actually voice this aloud. So he settled for just staring.

With a small noise, something similar to a squeak, Hinata ducked her head and scurried back into the kitchen. Neji watched her go, treacherous eyes straying briefly to her ass, before standing, letting the blanket fall around his feet. Even in winter he slept only in a t-shirt and shorts, not liking the constricting feel of too much clothing. Which was why Hinata needed to leave. He was pretty sure she would have just fainted anyway if she hadn't.

Stepping lightly into the bathroom, immediately stripping himself of his clothes, he glanced down at his not-so-little problem with a prominent scowl. He hated waking up with an erection, though as a male, he was used to it. Every guy suffered from his fair share of 'morning wood'. This, however, was different. The usual morning arousal could generally be willed away, or at least Neji's could. But this... well, he was hard as fucking stone. His cock was being quite adamant with its needs, which basically translated to his erection wasn't going anywhere on its own. Drastic measures must be taken.

A small cry escaped his lips the moment the icy spray hit his bare chest. He fucking hated cold showers! But he didn't have a choice. The only other option was to turn the temperature up and take care of things himself... and that wasn't really an option. Hyuuga Neji was an ANBU of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, not some hormonal teenage boy. There was no force on earth that would make him get off to an erotic dream about his pregnant younger cousin he was currently mad at for keeping secrets. He wasn't fourteen anymore.

With a despairing groan, he attempted to speed things up a bit by imagining Lee naked. When that wasn't enough, he imagined Gai naked. And when that still didn't do it, he imagined both Lee and Gai naked. Together... On a turtle. Yes, that did it, all right. It was his trump card when stuck in such situations, and it hadn't failed him yet.

Now fully wilted, he quickly stepped out, reaching immediately for a towel to wrap around his lightly shivering body, skin bright red in angry protest. And dammit, his hair had gotten damp despite his efforts to prevent it. After all, if it got too wet without being properly washed, it would be stringy all day. Couldn't have that.

He emerged from the bathroom, fixing the last articles of his clothing as he watched Hinata glide gracefully from the stove to the kitchen table, setting down a plate full of food. "Here you are, n-niisan. Tea will be d-d-done in a moment."

He gave her a small nod of both understanding and thanks as she moved back to the stove to retrieve the water, pulling an assortment of teas down from a cabinet shelf. As she set both of these things down on the table in front of him, one thing became rather clear to him that particular morning. She looked horrible.

Not that he was exactly a picture of perfection in the morning himself, but he didn't mean her appearance really. She had only just crawled out of bed to make him breakfast, still wearing her pajamas and a robe, with her hair tied back in a messy bun at the nape of her neck. To him she was still gorgeous. But what worried him was that the bags beneath her eyes had taken on a whole new shade of dark, and her skin had taken on a new shade of white. She was getting worse. Just great.

"Won't you join me, Hinata-sama?"

She seemed surprised by the invitation, and he couldn't really blame her. After all, he had been avoiding her lately in his righteous anger. But right then... well, she just looked so fragile. Like if he wasn't kind for at least a bit she might break.

She gave him a small, hesitant smile though and grabbed herself a cup before taking a seat next to him and pouring them both tea. She sipped hers slowly as he ate, sitting in what, for the first time in quite a while, was neither awkward nor tense silence. It was peaceful, and both Hyuugas appreciated the moment for what it was.

As Neji shoveled another bite of rice into his mouth, he looked her over yet again. "You're not eating?"

Pale eyes flitted to his for a brief moment before looking down, an indigo head shaking softly. "I'm n-not hungry."

A frown tugged at the corners of his mouth as worry gnawed at his stomach. Was she starting to lose her appetite now as well? Or was she just simply not in the mood for food right now? He would have to monitor her closely. She _needed_ a healthy diet, without the baby could really suffer.

He finished his meal, drained his tea, and stood to go, not particularly looking forward to a six hour shift in the mission room. Hinata handed him his coat silently, and as he took it, he studied her one last time. "Today's your day off, correct?"

A nod.

"You should try taking it easy. Maybe just go on back to bed." After a moment's debate, his hand tucked a lock of silk behind her ear. "You look tired."

She pressed her fingers together, hard, and with one final pat on the head, he left for work.

_~To protect what's precious~_

Hinata watched the door shut behind her cousin's back before making her way to the kitchen, wearily sinking down into a chair. She should really clean up, do the dishes... she was just so damn tired.

Go back to bed, indeed. She snorted. Maybe if the thought didn't utterly terrify her she would have considered it. As it was... She sighed, forcing herself up. Dishes.

She yawned a total of nineteen times while she cleaned up the kitchen from breakfast; she counted. It had started to become a small game she played, count how many times she would yawn during certain activities. It went hand-in-hand with 'count how many hours you actually manage to sleep during the night'. Her average was about three for that one.

Just as she was finishing up, she yawned once more. Twenty. Lavender eyes strayed towards the bedroom, whole body begging for permission to lay down against soft sheets, cuddle up in warm blankets. But her mind was screaming a firm 'no' that was hard to ignore. It was difficult trying to decide which to listen to.

Sitting back down at the table, she buried her head into her hands, feeling like she might start to cry once more. She didn't, of course. That would be weak, but at least this time she had a good reason. She was so _tired_. No matter what she tried, she couldn't sleep well, was always woken up in the most horrible way. She was afraid to go to bed because she knew what waited for her there. She knew what she would see... She didn't want to see it anymore...

When this had first started, months ago, she had ignored it. It wasn't uncommon, all shinobi had nightmares after... difficult missions. Once or twice since living there, she had heard Neji toss in his sleep, heard him having one after some of the things he'd seen in ANBU. It was an inevitable part of their life; Iruka-sensei had taught them that way back at the academy. Nightmares, night terrors as some were classified, would come and go. You just had to weather the storm.

So then why, why in the name of all that was holy, were Hinata's not going? Why was she still having them nightly _months_ after the initial incident? Why were they getting worse instead of better? Why weren't they just flat-out memories anymore? They had begun morphing into something more... creative. More terrifying. Taking what had happened, shifting events around, putting other people there. Putting Neji there. She shuddered. Those were the worst.

Feeling her eyes begin to get heavy, she immediately bolted from her seat. She just needed to find something to do, something to keep her busy. She couldn't fall asleep, not right now. She just couldn't take it.

_~To protect what's precious~_

_Hinata was neither inexperienced nor stupid. She knew better than to make a move into a completely unfamiliar situation without her teammates there for backup. Especially since physical combat wasn't her specialty, and she could be in serious trouble should a confrontation arise._

_But this... She bit her lip. This wasn't exactly a normal situation._

_~To protect what's precious~_

Neji frowned at the darkening sky, trying to figure out what time it was. Something that was easy to do in the summer, but nearly impossible in winter when the sun stayed firmly hidden. And it got dark so damn early, it couldn't have been past six, _maybe_ seven... probably...

He sighed. Damn mission room duty. He was supposed to be on for six hours, from seven in the morning until one. But no, they had been understaffed, and Iruka-sensei had practically begged him to stay and help a little longer. A little being hours longer. And he couldn't say no, because Iruka was one of the few people who wasn't treating him any differently than normal. He would feel bad if he turned him down.

Exchanging polite nods with Raidou as they passed each other, Neji decided to take the short-cut home by the lake, wondering whether or not Hinata had managed to get some much-needed rest that day. He certainly hoped she had, but he wasn't about to hold his breath. She was still claiming there was nothing wrong, after all. Maybe he should-

"There you are, Hyuuga Neji! I challenge you to a youthful duel for the honor of my sweet robin!"

Ugh, Lee. He really wasn't in the mood... wait a minute.

"Lee."

"Yes, Neji?"

Silver eyes blinked. Was this real? "Lee."

"Yes, Neji?"

Neji almost smiled. It was real. Lee... was talking to him. Lee was challenging him to a match again. Though he normally didn't word it that way... "You... want to spar... with me?"

Lee shifted, chest puffing up proudly, eyes burning with 'inner youth'. "Not spar, Neji, no. I challenge you to a duel in my robin's honor!"

A duel. And Lee had apparently taken to calling someone 'robin', like the bird, Neji imagined. Much like he had challenged Sasuke over his 'sweet cherry blossom' Sakura all those years ago. Which could only mean... "Tenten." **(1)**

It was Lee's turn to blink now. "What?"

"You want to fight me, in order to salvage Tenten's honor," Neji said slowly, brain trying to process the new information.

"That is correct! Now, do you accept my youthful challenge or-"

"You like Tenten. You _like_ like Tenten."

Lee gave him a strange look, though Neji couldn't really blame him. He wasn't exactly acting like his usual sharp, smartass self, but this had truly thrown him for a loop. He'd known Lee would have to approach him about something eventually, but this was nowhere near the scenario he'd had in mind.

"Of course I like Tenten. We are in a youthful relationship together!" He gave the Hyuuga a hard look. "One I intend to cherish like the beautiful gift it is."

Neji stared. "You're... dating Tenten."

"That is right!"

Neji's lips twitched. He couldn't help it, he just started laughing. Not in a mean, condescending, sneering way. Not in a sarcastic way. Just genuine, _relieved _laughter, the kind that rarely left Hyuuga Neji's mouth, particularly in such a public place where anyone could walk by. He never let his impersonal persona slip out in the open like this; but right then he didn't care. He just felt so _happy_.

Lee, though taking notice to the obviously uncharacteristic behavior from his teammate, didn't think to treat things any differently than he always had. So when Neji didn't give him a scathing remark, he assumed that meant his challenge was accepted. And since they were in an empty, open area, the challenge should commence immediately. And _that_ is why he proceeded to smash a roundhouse kick directly into the Hyuuga's smiling face.

_~To protect what's precious~_

Shikamaru would never admit it, but he truly enjoyed the increasingly frequent occasions when Temari would come visit. He especially enjoyed it during the winter, simply because the girl had a raving obsession with snow. Despite the fact that she wasn't used to the cold weather, she always wanted to be outside when everything was covered in white powder. The stuff made her practically glow.

It was beyond the genius just why she thought like that. It was just a bunch of condensed, frozen water. It was cold, got everything wet, and covered the roofs, so running across them went from being a simple means of transportation to a life and death situation. In short, the stuff was troublesome.

Still, it made his Suna kunoichi happy, so he figured it couldn't be all bad. That's why when she showed up unexpectedly at his door (troublesome woman could never let him know ahead of time when she was coming) right after a fresh snowfall, he knew exactly what he wanted to do. Spending his time cloud watching and trying to avoid anything that involved physical work so often, he knew all the best secluded spots in the village. And he knew the most beautiful one was the by the lake situated between Nara and Hyuuga clan lands.

Lacing his fingers with the blond's, he smiled as she looked around her in awe, both of them leisurely taking in the scenery. Temari mumbled something that sounded like 'beautiful' and he felt his pride skyrocket. Yeah he was lazy, but he could be romantic sometimes. When the effort wasn't too much trouble. "I thought you might like it here."

"It's gorgeous," she breathed, taking in the world of white that surrounded them.

Shika was captured by her shining eyes. "Not as gorgeous as you."

She snorted, giving him a droll look. "That was lame."

"Yeah... but it's true."

Shikamaru was one of the few people privileged with the knowledge that Temari had one hell of a blush when something really got to her, but she always made him work for it. So when he saw her face light up like a Christmas tree, a second swarm of pride washed over him. This was going so perfectly...

A calloused hand reached over to cup her face, drawing her willingly closer to him-

CRASH!

It was only their shinobi instincts that allowed the pair to leap out of the way, narrowly avoiding a painful collision with the flying body that impacted hard with a tree instead. Shika stood, offering a hand to his girlfriend which was, of course, ignored (damn feminine pride), wiping snow from his clothes. "What the hell?"

He approached the body cautiously where it lay, afraid the person might be badly injured after a blow like that, until he heard... laughing?

"Neji!" Lee came flying out of nowhere, a blur of green spandex and shiny black, eyes wide in terror. "I am so sorry, Neji-kun, I was expecting you to block my attack! I have never been able to hit you so easily before!" He dropped down next to the chuckling body, turning the person on their side; giving Shikamaru and Temari a clear view of a hysterically laughing Hyuuga choking on his own blood, sputtering out something about how amazing Lee was and how happy he was for him, a friendly hand gripping a green-clad shoulder.

Temari smirked, eyebrow raised as she watched the unusual exchange. Was the stuck-up Byakuugan user drunk? "See, this is why I love coming here. I never get to see this craziness back home."

Shikamaru sighed, searching his vest for a cigarette, the romantic mood now completely broken after all his hard work. Neji and Lee totally owed him for this. "Troublesome."

_~To protect what's precious~_

Neji, still smiling like a twit, let himself into his quiet house, stripping off his coat and shoes. "Hinata-sama! Tadaima!"

There was no response. Stepping pointedly over the cat that had lain at his feet, he walked to the kitchen where a light was on, eyes softening at what he saw. Hinata had fallen asleep at the table, head cradled in her arms, shoulders hunched. So adorable... She looked like a child.

As glad as he was she was getting some much-needed rest, he didn't think it was good for her to be sleeping in that position. Particularly not while pregnant. He placed a hand softly on her shoulder, tilting her back into the chair so he could properly lift her and carry her to bed. He didn't want to wake her if he didn't have to...

The next thing he knew, there was a kunai pressed sharply against his jugular, opalescent eyes flashing dangerously at him. Since when had chakraless, pregnant women been able to move so fast?

Hinata was appraising him warily, almost like she didn't recognize him, usually soft, kind eyes hard as steel, every muscle in her body taut. "Niisan?"

Neji was no fool. He had been a ninja long enough to know he'd just woken his cousin from a nightmare, and she was now having trouble separating her dream from reality. The same thing had happened before with various teammates, and he had been the one awoken on several occasions. He slowly wrapped his hand around her wrist, easing the sharp metal blade away from his skin, mind whirring. If she tried to fight him she would be easy to subdue, but he had to be careful of her condition. He didn't want to hurt the baby. "It's just me, Hinata-sama. There's no need to worry."

Hinata blinked, eyes darting about for a quick moment before fixing back on him. He could see the sleep and confusion clearing from them, understanding slowly sinking in for the girl. He pried the kunai gently from her fingers, entwining them with his own, letting the tool fall harmlessly. His free hand came up to pet her hair as she came fully awake, cheeks slowly turning red as she realized what she'd done.

"I-I'm so s-s-s-sorry, niisan, I-"

A finger was immediately placed against her lips. "How many times must I tell you? Don't apologize for things that are not your fault." He rubbed her upper arms comfortingly, trying to make her relax. "I know better than to wake a shinobi without expecting possible consequences."

The girl let out a soft sigh, slumping against him briefly, and he had to fight away the urge to just wrap her up in his arms. She fit against him so nicely...

When she took a step back, expression soft once more, her eyes widened at the sight of him, mouth agape. "N-niisan! Wha-what happened?"

Neji touched his darkened, swollen jaw, a smile tugging relentlessly at his lips. "Lee kicked me."

"Lee... what? Y-you two f-f-fought?"

"No. He just kicked me." He paused, before adding thoughtfully, "I think he wanted to fight. Challenged me to a duel."

"A duel."

"Yes." His smile broadened at the memory. "He and Tenten are dating now. He wanted to fight me for her honor."

"Oh." Hinata's brow furrowed a bit. "B-but you didn't fight?"

"No, I just let him kick me."

Hinata opened her mouth, a dozen questions begging to be asked, but decided for the sake of her sanity to settle on the most important one and leave it at that. "Have you been drinking?"

Neji frowned. "No. Why does everyone keep asking me that?"

The younger Hyuuga decided to take that as a rhetorical question.

"Anyway, I'm famished."

Famished. Hungry. Dinner! Hinata's eyes shot to the window, taking in how dark it was outside. _Shit!_ "Ano, niisan... Gomenasai, I h-haven't made anything yet. I c-can throw something tog-g-gether quickly if-"

He held up a hand to stop her, looking amused. "I can see you haven't made anything, Hinata-sama, though that's actually rather fortunate. We're meeting Shikamaru and Temari for dinner in" -he glanced at the clock on the wall- "forty-five minutes."

"We are?"

"We are." Though if he hadn't woken her, he would have skipped out on the couple in favor of letting her sleep. She needn't know that. "Let's get ready, shall we?"

Hinata eyed him speculatively before nodding, still not entirely convinced he was really sober. Then again, she should just take this blessing for what it was and go with it until Neji's mood shifted once more. This morning he was being polite again and now he was being downright friendly?

She smiled, not daring to hope that maybe, just maybe, he wasn't mad at her anymore.

* * *

**1.** I couldn't for the life of me come up with a pet-name for Lee to call Tenten, so I decided to use an inside joke I share with a few friends... However, the more I think about it, the more I find it fitting. Not really sure why exactly, I just think Tenten could be a 'robin'.

I know last chapter kinda sucked, and I'm sorry. I feel like my writing's been going downhill lately. Not the plot of the story itself, just how I'm portraying it. If this chapter sucked as hard as the last one, please let me know so I can go hit my head off a wall.

As far as Kurenai goes, I'm aware the scene with her and Hinata was lacking. It ended up looking like an interlude when I was trying to make it them catching up after not seeing each other for a substantial amount of time and almost getting used to each other again. Sort of like the conversation you have with that nice aunt you see once a year at Christmas. I always have trouble writing relationships between an older woman and a younger girl, probably since most of the adult women in my life have hated me *laughs maniacally then goes to sit in emo corner*. That might be looking into it a bit too deeply, but that's seriously where I fail in writing. I'm hoping I'll be able to redeem myself a little later... That's enough from me.

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Let me know how good/bad/downright awful this chapter was, please!


	13. Tear It Down

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto there would be Byakuugan babies everywhere! So I guess it's not mine.

I'm aware the chapter's short. There was a death in the family and things are going to hectic for quite some time. So I had a choice of either putting up shorter chapters for a bit or taking even longer to update. I opted for the shorter chapters. *shrug* You'll have to deal with it.

Hinata- 17/going on 18

Neji- 19

Warnings: Language, Hints of citrus

* * *

_Sleep, sugar, let your dreams flood in  
Like waves of sweet fire, you're safe within  
Sleep, sweetie, let your floods come rushing in  
And carry you over to a new morning_

**-Poets of the Fall, _Sleep_**

* * *

**Chapter 12: In Order to Rebuild, You Must First Tear it Down**

_Still wary, she crept closer to the hidden entrance, eyes locked on the figure just inside. It was curled up into a ball, trembling, and she felt her heart clench. So small... It was just a child. A child that appeared to be scared and alone and... hurt. Her kekkei genkai allowed her to literally see the life draining from the tiny figure. They didn't have much time left... What were they doing here?_

_A number of possibilities ran through her head. She had attempted to release a genjutsu but had found none. The Byakuugan was confirming that it was indeed a real person she was seeing. So then why was a child here? Were they the offspring of a missing or wandering-nin? An experiment of Orochimaru's? A missing-nin themselves, a genin who had left their village? Or just a normal urchin who had somehow managed to make their way into these dangerous woods?_

_Inching closer still, Hinata scanned the area for any sign of Kiba and Shino, finding none yet. Fingers pressed together as she watched the child's life slowly fade. What should she do? _

_~To protect what's precious~_

The Hyuuga pair said their final goodbyes to their friends, heading for home, both happier than they'd been in a long time. As Temari watched them move out of sight, she turned to her boyfriend with raised eyebrows and, "So why exactly does Hinata look like a fucking ghost?"

Why indeed? The lazy ninja shrugged, lighting a cigarette. "Difficult pregnancy? She's been looking like that for a while now."

Temari 'mmed' in understanding, eyes narrowing just a bit. "She's okay, isn't she?"

Shika mentally frowned. "Don't know. Hope so."

Another small noise and for a minute there was silence. Then, "They do both know how they look at each other, right?"

The Nara boy chuckled, a wide grin splitting his usually impassive face. He gathered the girl into his arms, planting a chaste kiss to her hair. "No. I don't think they have any idea."

Temari buried her face in his neck and laughed. "See. I love coming here."

_~To protect what's precious~_

_A few steps closer. By now she was practically there, waiting impatiently for her teammates. What was taking them so long? Had they run into trouble? She knew Shino's bug would have alerted the Aburame the moment she'd found the lab. So why weren't they there yet? The child inside didn't have much time left._

_A few more steps... what was that?_

_Hinata didn't have acute hearing the way Kiba did, but as she got nearer and nearer to the compound, she found she didn't need it. That soft noise grew louder and she was sure beyond the shadow of a doubt what it was. _

_Crying. The child was crying._

_Breath leaving the lavender-eyed girl in a harsh whoosh, she sprinted unthinkingly towards the entrance, all shinobi instincts flying out the window, only one thing on her mind. There was a crying, injured child just inside that building. And she was going to help. _

_~To protect what's precious~_

"That's it... _hah_... just like that."

Neji stroked his slender fingers through the indigo locks buried in his lap, pushing them away from the girl's face and hollowed cheeks. "Hinata..."

The girl pulled back from her task, blinking up at him with moist, lavender orbs, a perfect little pout over red, swollen lips. "Niisan? Am I doing okay?"

He pet her face, her hair, anywhere he could reach. "Yes, Hinata. You're doing it very well."

A cute, pink tongue darted out to lap at the head of his hardened shaft, before it was taken back into her hot mouth.

His eyes slid shut and his head fell back with a groan. "_Hinata_... so good... _aaah_..."

The Hyuuga genius was jerked abruptly awake, shinobi senses forcing him into instant alertness. His sleep-fogged mind registered something was wrong a split second before he knew just what that something was.

His small cottage, usually silent in the dead of night, was far from it.

Hinata was screaming.

Faster than you could blink, he'd bolted from the couch, kunai drawn and Byakuugan activated as he kicked in the bedroom door. His eyes scanned frantically for signs of danger, an intruder, something. There were none. Only Hinata, still fast asleep, writhing on the bed and periodically crying out in terror.

_Shit!_ The kunai clattered to the floor with a clash. _Shitshitshit!_ Licking his lips, Neji inched towards the bed, knowing how dangerous this situation could be. Waking a shinobi from an obviously violent dream was nearly the same as asking them to attack, and generally the smart, not to mention safe, thing to do was let the nightmare play out; but Neji couldn't do that. Watching her in pain like that... he couldn't leave her to suffer through it. Thank Kami she didn't have her chakra anymore. Subduing her would be simple enough, the same as earlier.

In one swift movement, he threw himself onto the bed beside her, one arm wrapped around her shoulders, one leg thrown across hers, pinning her solidly to the mattress with no pressure on her abdomen. And was nearly thrown off again when she jerked awake with another cry.

"NOOOO! NO, LET ME GO! LET GO!"

"Hina- oof!" A sharp elbow to the ribs literally took the breath from him, reminding him just how strong a shinobi was, chakra or not.

"STOP! GET OFF OF ME!"

"Hinata, it's okay!"

"GET OFF!"

"_Hinata_!" He desperately caressed her face, her hair, just like in his dream. Only this was nothing like his dream. Nothing at all.

A broken sob came from the girl in his grasp. "Please..."

"Shh... it's all right, Hinata, shh. You're all right. It was just a dream..." He pressed lips softly to her temple. "Just a dream, sweetie."

Red-rimmed eyes sought out his own, wild and frantic. Scared. "Neji."

"Yeah, it's me." He stroked his thumb over her cheek. "I'm here, Hinata. You're safe."

Small, shaking hands touched his face, fisted into the front of his shirt. A few trembling breaths through pale lips, whole face white as a sheet. She was still in a visible state of shock; but he could tell she had come back to herself. "Neji... please let go."

His brow furrowed. _What?_ "Hinat-

"Please, Neji."

Okay, she wanted some space after the stress of what had just happened. It was understandable. He eased himself off of and away from her, stepping back from the bed as she sat up and swung her legs over the side. Her arms lightly cradled her swollen abdomen, hair falling down to cover her face.

Neji swallowed weakly at the sight. "Hinata, do you want anything? Some water or-"

"I'd like to be alone for a bit. Please."

His heart may as well have stopped beating. "Hinata, I don't think-"

"_Please_, Neji."

The older boy shut his eyes, taking a deep breath for strength. Maybe he should just go. It was hard to see her so broken and defeated anyway. So helpless. Another breath. She probably just needed some time to calm down. He would talk to her then, about these nightmares. The now obvious reason she wasn't sleeping... They would sort everything out once she had some time...

He paused in the doorway, hands tightening into fists. "No."

Hinata glanced up through her curtain of hair. "What?"

"No. I'm not going anywhere."

She took a deep breath of her own, though it sounded like she was just barely keeping it together. "Please, Neji. I need to be alone."

"No, you don't need to be alone, stop saying please." The boy spun back around, eyes firm, determined. "This _is_ why you haven't been sleeping, isn't it? Nightmares? You're afraid?"

"I..." She looked away from him, unable to answer, trying to stay strong. She couldn't break down, not in front of him.

"Why didn't you just tell me? I could have helped."

Breathe, stay strong, don't let him see. "I don't need help."

"You most certainly _do_ need help." He stalked towards her, and she unconsciously flinched back, frightened. She needed to calm down, but that was impossible with him there. "If this was something you could handle on your own you would have done so already. The very fact that you haven't lets me know that you're not all right by yourself."

She clenched her eyes shut, trying to block him out. Shit, he thought she was weak, pathetic, couldn't take care of herself. For a moment, she feared she might be sick. "No, I... I'm fine. I just need some time alone."

She gasped when he appeared directly in front of her, hand grabbing her chin and tilting her face up. His expression softened when their eyes met, and he cupped her face in both hands gently, leaning down so their foreheads touched. His bare forehead, which he no longer bothered to cover in front of her. "I'm not leaving you alone, Hinata. You've been trying to deal with this alone the entire time, haven't you?"

"I-I..." She felt herself start to shake. She couldn't hold on much longer.

Neji's lips brushed hers softly, quicker and lighter than a passing butterfly, but it still stopped her breath in her chest. "N-niisan-"

"I'm here now, Hinata; and I'm not going anywhere."

She couldn't hold on anymore. Tears burned her eyes before making their way slowly down her face, catching on Neji's hands. Taking several sharp breaths, she struggled to get ahold of herself, tried to stop the inevitable breakdown from coming. She couldn't do this, not in front of someone, not in front of him. She couldn't be this weak. She had held on this long, she could hold on a bit more. Just a bit more.

Soft circles were rubbed into her cheeks as an even softer voice whispered, "Let go." And unable to do anything else, she listened.

Only seconds later the first sob ripped its way through her, followed closely by the second and the third. She wailed brokenly, chest and shoulders heaving with the force of her crying. She let all of her grief, her frustration, her anger, her sadness, her fear, let all of it pour out of her and into Neji's waiting arms. He held her, rocked her, whispered encouragements softly into her ear, telling her to let it out, let it all go. Letting her know she wasn't alone. Letting her know he would always protect her.

It was a while before she managed to calm down again, but when she did, she was amazed at the change. She felt better, lighter, like a huge weight she never knew was there had just been lifted off her shoulders. All from just allowing herself to cry. Looking up into Neji's concerned face, she managed a wan smile. "A-arigatou, niisan. I'm s-sorry for-"

A finger stopped her lips. "Don't apologize for something that's not your fault."

She blushed. "Hai."

"Good girl." A kiss was placed softly on her forehead. "We'll talk about this in the morning, all right?" He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "For now, we're both going back to bed."

The girl paled, both at the thought of talking about any of this and of going back to sleep where more nightmares awaited her; but she knew the futility of arguing with Neji when he'd decided on something. She let him guide her back down to the mattress, laying on her side, curled in a ball around her stomach. She'd likely end up lying awake the whole night, staring at the darkness, too afraid to shut her eyes. Oh well, she'd done it before, she could do it again.

She never expected Neji to climb into the bed next to her or for him to wrap his arms around her, pulling her back flush against his chest. Instinctively, she struggled. "N-n-niisan-"

"Hush, Hinata. Go to sleep."

Sleep? He expected her to sleep when he was this close to her? "I-I-I- th-this- I d-d-don't think-"

"I'm not leaving you alone right now." He stroked his palm over her rounded stomach, over the baby, practically feeling her apprehension, her reluctance, bringing him back to the same dreaded conclusion he'd come to multiple times before. She was still a little bit afraid of him after all these years. "Don't worry," he reassured in his most gentle voice. "I won't hurt you."

Hinata vaguely shook her head. Neji didn't understand, she didn't want _anyone_ this close, touching her like this. Her weak struggles continued. "N-niisan-"

Neji growled in annoyance. "Hinata, just shut up and let me hold you."

And really, what else could she do?

_~To protect what's precious~_

_The door was rusty and heavy, taking all of Hinata's little strength to haul open and creating a fearsome amount of noise. The Hyuuga girl flew through it, hearing it slam shut behind her, not bothering to glance back. Running down a few winding halls, panting a bit in the stale air, she rounded a corner sharply, bringing her to the desired destination._

_And there he was. A little boy, no older than ten or so, skinny, dirty, shivering on the cold stone floor. Hinata didn't hesitate, just rushed to the child's side._

_~To protect what's precious~_

When Hinata's eyes fluttered open, only one thing registered in her mind. There was a bird singing right outside her window. And as she became more coherent, the bird's song was joined with a pale, dull light from the winter sun streaming in through the curtains. That could only mean one thing. Morning.

Her eyes widened in shock. She had slept straight through till morning. She looked quickly to the clock on the nightstand. Nine o'clock in the morning. That was nearly seven hours of sleep... Seven hours of uninterrupted sleep! The last time that had happened... well, that hadn't happened, not since before the mission.

There was some stirring from behind her right before a silky baritone murmured huskily, "Good morning. Sleep well?"

The girl smiled and, to his surprise, took his hand in hers when he reached it over to stroke her stomach. "Yeah. Yeah, I did."

"I'm glad."

They lay there for a few minutes, simply basking in each other's presence and the peaceful feeling of waking in a warm bed. Hinata slowly turned to face the boy lying next to her, drinking in every detail of his sleep-worn features. He didn't usually look this subdued or vulnerable. "I'm late for work. My shift started at seven."

Fingers stroked through her messy hair. "Don't worry about it."

"But-"

"You don't think Ino or Sakura will cover for you? Really, don't worry about it. Just take the day off." His hand came to rest on her cheek. "Spend it with me."

He was giving her that look again. That intense gaze that captured her, dragged her in kicking and screaming, and refused to let go. She swallowed hard. "Okay." Maybe she didn't want to be let go.

* * *

Again, I do apologize for the length. I hope you'll forgive me. Now just a quick note or two. Some of you noticed Hinata seemed a tad OOC during Neji's first dream, and likewise this dream as well. Yes, it was on purpose. That's Neji's dream Hinata, very similar to the real thing but... well, let's face it, I don't care how much you love someone there's always one or two things you would change about them. Don't lie, you know there is.

Secondly, this is mostly before people ask, because I have a feeling they will. Yes, the lack of sleep and stress were what was causing Hinata to look like shit, no there isn't another ailment hidden in there. The nightmares, caused by an as of yet unknown incident, are what made her lose sleep. Sorry if that isn't quite as epic as you were hoping. However, if you don't think losing sleep can be harmful, you've probably never seen someone who suffers from serious insomnia. They're seriously a mess, and that's an otherwise healthy person. Hinata is stressed out from the nightmares and what caused them as well, _and_ she's pregnant. That's enough to make absolutely anyone fall apart.

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	14. Peladophobia

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto there would be Byakuugan babies everywhere! So I guess it's not mine.

Hinata- 17/going on 18, 23 weeks pregnant

Neji- 19

Warnings: Language

* * *

_"I have had dreams and I have had nightmares, but I have conquered my nightmares because of my dreams."_

**-Jonas Salk**

* * *

**Chapter 13: Peladophobia**

Neji treated her like a princess the whole day. He insisted that he would make breakfast (luckily sticking to some simple scrambled eggs that even he could prepare), and refused to let her help with the dishes. Then they spent the day out and about, stopping by the hospital from where Hinata was immediately shooed, both Ino and Sakura insisting that she enjoy her day, winking at Neji when her back was turned, stopping by the bookstore where they picked up a few previously recommended child rearing guides, eating lunch at Ichiraku's where they met up with Naruto and Sai. It was all really nice.

After lunch, Neji took her for a walk through the park, both of them chatting amicably, catching up after barely speaking for weeks. Hinata kept waiting for him to ask about the nightmares, what had caused them, how long they had been going on, anything. But it never came.

"Yo!" Kiba dropped down from a tree branch, landing lightly in front of the Hyuuga pair. "Smelled ya guys, so thought I'd say hey. What's up? How have you two been?"

Hinata smiled broadly and gave her teammate a quick hug, startling the Inuzuka a bit. Hinata had been very hands off lately. "Guess you're doin' pretty good then."

The girl blushed a little, but nodded all the same. "It's been a g-good day."

Neji's face stayed blank, but anyone who knew him could tell he was positively beaming.

"Yeah? Well, what're you up to now? Wanna hang out with me and Shino?"

Hinata stole a glance at her cousin who offered her a brief smile. "Whatever you want to do, Hinata."

Kiba's brain just about had a meltdown, and he had to bite his tongue to keep from saying something rude or stupid. When had Neji dropped the whole 'sama' thing? Even when Hinata wasn't around, he'd always insisted on using the added honorific, like he got some odd pleasure in reminding himself of his lower status that everyone knew he despised. The Inuzuka had personally always thought him a little masochistic for it.

"W-we'd love to, K-kiba-kun."

"Great!"

It was as they were walking across the village to the Aburame compound that Hinata spotted Tenten and Lee at a distance. Kiba, talking loudly about his last mission, didn't notice them, but Neji did. The shy girl watched her cousin eye the pair with veiled sadness before resolutely turning his gaze away and felt her heart sink. This really wasn't fair.

The rest of the day was uneventful but pleasant. They lounged around Kiba and Shino's home, mostly just talking, discussing a number of different things. When dinnertime rolled around, Hinata cooked for them all, a real treat for her teammates who usually had to fend (poorly) for themselves. The boys shared some sake, with Hinata stealing a small taste from Neji's glass ("Yes, niisan, I'm s-sure a few sips won't hurt the baby."), and it was around eight o'clock in the evening when the cousins finally made their way home, Neji's arm firmly around Hinata's shoulders, Kiba whispering, "Gambatte," into the older boy's ear as they left.

"W-w-would you like some t-tea, niisan?" she asked, stripping off her heavy coat.

"I think that would be a good idea. I'll put it on." He was in the kitchen before she could protest, beckoning her to take a seat at the table. He was acting the same as he had all day, but she saw the new stiffening in his shoulders, the slight wrinkle in his brow. The time had come, she knew. He wanted to talk about last night.

He held off until the kettle whistled sharply, and he had poured tea for the both of them, taking a seat next to her. They each took a sip, the silence growing rather heavy as both anticipated the conversation to come. Finally, knowing it couldn't be put off any longer, Neji opened with the blunt, "Hinata, _why_ didn't you just tell me?" refusing to beat around the bush.

The Hyugga heiress' eyes slid shut. Why? That really wasn't something that could be answered so simply. For starters, there were a multitude of reasons why she hadn't told him, and most of those she _still_ couldn't tell him. Because they were secrets she had to keep, secrets that protected her baby. Protected her daughter from shame, from ridicule, from doubting or hating or questioning her own existence. Secrets no one, not even Neji, would ever know. But there were other reasons too, more personal reasons why she didn't want to tell him. Of course, now that he knew anyway, there was no use in hiding it any longer. So she decided to go with one of those.

"Su... sumimasen, niisan. I-I just..." She lowered her head, ashamed of herself for what was about to come out of her mouth, but knowing it was the truth. "I didn't want you to know how w-w-weak I am." _Not after you've finally come to truly respect me._

No. That wasn't right. _Not after you've finally come to truly _see_ me._

And while it had taken a back seat compared with her desires to protect her child, that thought had still stayed fresh in her mind. She didn't want Neji to stop acknowledging her. Him being angry with her, that was different, that she could handle. Because no matter how upset he got, she knew he still felt _something_ for her. But to go back to the way he used to treat her, before this whole mess, before her pregnancy, when she was _nothing_ to him... She knew she wouldn't be able to take that. It would probably break her.

Hard fingers caught her chin, forcing it up to receive a harsh glare. Neji was undoubtedly angry, maybe not quite seething, but close to it. Hinata tried to flinch away from his aggression, but his grip tightened painfully, making her wince. Fuck, she had really upset him. The last thing she had wanted was to incite his infamous temper.

"You didn't tell me... because you didn't want me to know you were weak?"

His tone was like ice and appropriately made her shiver. She couldn't meet his eyes, couldn't find her voice, but nodded jerkily all the same. She wasn't sure what he would do now, but it couldn't possibly be good.

"Hinata, that is the _stupidest_ thing I've ever heard you say."

That... wasn't exactly what she'd had in mind.

"Every shinobi, myself included, has nightmares, Hinata. You should know that. It doesn't make you weak, it makes you human." He gave her a little shake, making sure he had her full attention. "The reason yours have lingered for so long- and I know they have, you've looked a mess for quite some time now- is because you aren't dealing with it properly. You're bottling everything up, trying to ignore it and do everything alone, and all the stress and other emotions you're feeling have nowhere to go because you refuse to let them out. But they need to come out, so they emerge in your dreams, creating your nightmares." He released his bruising grip on her chin, fingertips stroking over the spot tenderly. "And if they haven't gone away on their own yet, they're not going to. You need to deal with this. The right way."

Hinata took a deep, shuddering breath. First of all, he had taken what she said out of context. She'd meant she didn't want him to know about the incident that had caused the nightmares to begin with because then he would think she was weak for letting it happen; but since it was actually better this way (less questions), she need not correct him. Second, he was right, of course, about the nightmares, but dealing with it the 'right' way... she couldn't do that and keep her secrets. "Niisan..."

Neji heard the pleading tone. "Hinata, you _know_ you're supposed to report this sort of thing. Any forms of PTSD this bad are to be reported to-" **(1)**

"B-but that's only so I d-don't screw up on a mission!" she cut in frantically. "And I'm n-n-not going on any missions now. So there's no r-reason to rep-port it."

The older Hyuuga frowned. Was that really what she thought? "You honestly believe the only reason you're to report it is for the sake of missions?" He locked eyes with the girl, serious and a little perturbed. "How do you think Tsunade-sama, or Kurenai-san, or your father would react if you told them that? That you're suffering from PTSD, which is causing you to lose sleep, and in turn is causing your health to fail, _while you're pregnant_, but you haven't reported it as you've been trained to because you're not going on missions."

She nearly whimpered. "W-well..."

"Exactly. You _know_ it isn't just about some worthless missions or even your teammates' safety on those missions. It's about your health and your safety, Hinata."

She felt like a scolded child and pressed her fingers together. "Gomenasai." She was afraid to report it, because the most common method for handling PTSD was some simple talk-therapy sessions. Many of the same shinobi who worked in the interrogation department, like Ibiki and the Yamanaka clan for instance, were masters at understanding the human psyche. They were some of the best psychologists you could find, and when they weren't torturing prisoners for information, they doubled as therapists for shinobi in need. She had never had to go see one of them herself, but both Shino and Kiba had on separate occasions and they'd shared their experiences with her. An image of a smiling Ibiki leaning across a desk and asking her to share her feelings flashed suddenly through her mind, making her shiver. She knew how good those shinobi were at what they did; and it would be nearly impossible to keep secrets from them.

"Look, I know you don't want to report it," Neji said with a sigh, catching her hands in his. "And for right now, since you aren't going on missions, I'm not going to make you. We'll try something else first."

She looked up, eyes wide and hopeful. "We will?"

A bigger sigh. "Yes, we will." How could he tell her no when she looked at him like that, seeming as innocent and believing as a child. And just as helpless as one. She needed him for this. "We're going to continue what we started last night. I'm going to sleep with you, and if you have a nightmare, I should be able to tell and immediately wake you. You just have to trust me."

This last part was especially necessary, but he knew how difficult it was going to be. He remembered all too clearly how she had struggled against him the night before. How not all of her fear of him had disappeared over the years. How she still kept secrets from him.

He forced himself to push the familiar, uneasy feelings to the back of his mind. It still hurt, he couldn't lie and say it didn't, but there were more important things than his own selfish wants. Hinata needed him right now. And he would never abandon her.

His loyalty was rewarded when lavender eyes blinked up at him, startled, and a soft, earnest voice was quick to assure, "I d-d-do trust you, niisan!" with all the passion it could muster. It was so sincere that Neji knew she was trying her best. He couldn't ask for more.

_~To protect what's precious~_

_The boy flinched as she knelt next to him, but Hinata never once faltered. She knew how to handle sick children. "Shh, it's okay. Don't worry, I won't hurt you." _

_Scared, clouded gray eyes peeked up at her from a paper white face before a hoarse voice croaked softly, "Arigatou, neechan." _

_She smiled kindly and briefly pet his dark, matted hair before calling upon her medical training, moving to assess his condition. She had to figure out if he was injured or sick or both and then come up with the best way to treat him, out there in the middle of nowhere. If she could just make sure he was stable, she and her team could get him back to Konoha, where he could then be treated properly. Between the three of them and Akamaru, carrying him the distance would be no problem._

_Palms glowing green, she held them over the too-thin body, letting her eyes fall closed to better concentrate... and froze in horror. _

_~To protect what's precious~_

"Hinata, wake up... Come on, you can wake up... That's right..."

Hinata stared at the man leaning over her, his long hair falling around her like a curtain. Her body was still trembling lightly, the feeling of terror still keeping her immobile, but... that hadn't been that bad. Unpleasant undoubtedly, but not much worse than the nightmares she'd had as a child. Neji had woken her before it ever had a chance to reach its peak.

"A-arigatou, niisan. Sumima-"

"Don't you dare."

The apology died an early death on her lips.

"Much better." Fingers gently pushed some hair off her sweaty forehead, surreptitiously checking her temperature in the process. He wanted to be sure she hadn't managed to upset herself into a stress fever or adversely sent herself into cold shock. He was pleased to find her skin clammy but normal. "Would you like anything?"

"I-I... n-n-no. No, I'm- I'm f-fine. Th-thank you, niisan." She absolutely refused to meet his gaze, loathing her vulnerability. Especially when she felt that familiar burn at the back of her eyes.

"Right. Would you like to cry then?"

Breath escaped her in a harsh, sardonic laugh, realizing how stupid she was to think she could ever fool him. Why did she bother trying? He knew how pathetic she was.

Silver eyes studied her for a moment, calculating, before warm lips met her cheek. "I'm feeling rather thirsty, think I'll go make myself some tea now that I'm up. You'll be all right alone for a bit?"

A small nod.

"Good." He untangled himself from the blankets, pausing just in the doorway. "Remember what I said about bottling everything up." And he was gone.

Despite how much she felt like crap, Hinata couldn't stop the overly large smile that spread across her face of its own will. She wasn't by any means stupid, she knew what Neji was doing. Her cousin wanted her to cry, wanted her to let it out, and she knew in the far reaches of her mind that he was right. That bottling up all her negative emotions was taking its toll on her health and sanity. That the reason she was suffering so much now was because she hadn't just let it out in the beginning. But it was just so unlike her. She had spent the better part of her life listening to how she was weak, she needed to get stronger, she was a horrible Hyuuga. She may not have taught herself to hide her emotions behind a blank mask the way Neji did, but she _had_ taught herself to lock any obvious weakness away. She had taught herself that crying on a regular basis was both pointless and pathetic. That you avoided doing so at all costs. To suddenly have to break that habit now...

The first hot tears made their slow trail down her face, forcing her breath to hitch just a little. If Neji, one of the strongest shinobi she knew, the perfect picture of the stoic Hyuuga, was telling her to cry, she would do it. She would allow herself with his permission. Because she now knew how well _he_ knew her. The way he had given her her privacy. The way he had left her alone... but she wasn't alone. He would never really leave her alone.

When her sobs died down, the house was filled with a soft silence, neither eerie nor comfortable. Hinata had taken to hugging one of Neji's poor, defenseless pillows during her crying, and continued to retain that hold, tightening her grip, though not in a desperate or hysterical way. Much like the previous night, she now felt so much better, more relaxed, like she had been cleansed in some way. She hadn't cried for nearly as long either.

Her cousin's presence appeared behind her, and she felt the mattress sink as he sat, proffering something to her in the dark. Reaching out blindly towards the shape, she met cool, moist glass, and blinked in surprise. Sitting up and taking her new gift into her hands, she felt a giggle rise up when she realized what it was he had brought her.

He smirked. "I thought you might be hungry."

Blushing a deep crimson, she leaned forward and very shyly pressed her lips to his cheek, an imitation of what he'd done earlier. "Arigatou." She unscrewed the lid, a distinct, salty smell rising up to meet her. Small fingers reached inside, pulling out one oblong, brine-soaked vegetable, her tongue catching some drops of pungent liquid before it could fall from the end. There was a satisfying crunch when she bit a mouthful off, and she giggled again, thinking how this moment was oddly perfect when Neji gently rubbed her swollen belly.

Ten minutes later, lying back in bed again, this time curled up willingly against her cousin's hard chest, Hinata came to a decision. Neji was being so good to her. He did everything for her, had given up so much for her, while she gave him nothing in return. She wanted, no, she needed to give him something back, do something to repay his kindness. And she knew how to do it. He might not like it initially, but in the end, he'd be much happier for it.

With a soft sigh, she snuggled further into his sleeping form, taking in his warmth, wondering if this would be the last time he held her like this.

_~To protect what's precious~_

A nervous Hinata pressed her fingers together, going over the plan once more inside her head. She had quite literally rehearsed every line several hundred times over during the course of the day. She knew exactly what she needed to say, and exactly what she could not say under any circumstances. It was very important that she stick with the plan. Otherwise a.) they would know right away that she was lying and/or b.) it would end up revealing far too many secrets. But she was ready. Now it was just a matter of finding who she needed to talk with and get this whole thing over with.

Lady luck was on her side, just another sign that she was doing the right thing, when she found the couple she was looking for almost instantly. They were at Ichiraku's, eating dinner with a very familiar loud blond. Hinata bit her lip, knowing she had to hurry and just do it. She needed to get home and make dinner before Neji started to worry.

_Okay, I can do this. It's for Neji._ And with that thought strongly in her mind, she approached the pair, lavender eyes shining with determination. "T-tenten, Lee, m-may I speak with you for a m-m-moment?"

The two in question seemed beyond shocked by this proposition, while out of the corner of her eye, Hinata watched Naruto drop his chopsticks, mouth hanging open for all to see. Hell, even Teuchi and Ayame had stopped whatever they were doing behind the counter. The Hyuuga pressed her fingers harder, face growing hot.

"Hinata," Tenten said, surprise evident even in her voice. "Look, if this is about Lee picking a fight with Neji-"

"I was not picking a fight!" Lee interjected, sounding offended by the very idea. "I was challenging him to a youthful duel for-"

"Like I was saying," Tenten's voice overpowered the boy's, "that won't happen again. You don't have to worry, there won't be anymore... youthful duels in the future."

Hinata blinked, having almost completely forgotten about that whole thing. So much had happened in the short time since then. "Ah, n-n-no, that... th-that's not what I wanted to talk about."

"Oh." There was an awkward silence until the brunette finally said, "Would you like to go somewhere more... private then?"

"Ah, h-hai, that would be pref-ferable."

The other girl nodded and paid for her ramen, Lee doing the same, as both of them followed Hinata away from the stand. There was an unspoken agreement to ignore Naruto when he called after them, "Remember, you can't hit a pregnant lady!"

Tenten led them away a bit to a secluded alley, both older teens being considerate of Hinata's growing condition and keeping their pace slow. Once there, they watched the younger girl expectantly as she alternated between playing with the hem of her coat and pressing, twiddling, entwining her fingers.

"Ano... there's s-something I feel you should b-b-both know. Esp-pecially you, Tenten. It's ab-b-bout Neji-niisan. And the b-b-baby."

Tenten's eyebrows slowly rose, her genuine curiosity showing all too clearly. "Oh?"

"Hai." _Deep breath. It's for Neji._ "You see, th-things aren't quite what you think..."

* * *

**1.** PTSD- Stands for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder- "A psychological disorder affecting individuals who have experienced or witnessed profoundly traumatic events, such as torture, murder, rape, or wartime combat, characterized by recurrent flashbacks of the traumatic event, nightmares, irritability, anxiety, fatigue, forgetfulness, social withdrawal, and manifestations of autonomic arousal such as hyperalertness and exaggerated startle response." Soldiers suffer from this condition more than just about anyone, so to believe shinobi wouldn't in Naruto-world is ridiculous. Hence the procedures I took the liberty of making look common. Because they would have to have some kind of procedures set up, or they wouldn't have very many shinobi keeping their minds intact.

This chapter... was not my favorite. But the one coming next has some promise and I feel like I got my writing groove back. Not in this chapter, but in the next ones to come. Even though I'm probably the only one who sees a difference.

For the record, just in case you're worried, I never planned on repeating the whole Neij gets upset and bitchy and distant thing again. Hinata's just worried it will happen again if not something worse. Do it once, it's part of the plot. Do it twice, you're pushing it. Do it three times, you're a bad author, sorry. That's my motto.

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	15. Secondhand Smoke

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto there would be Byakuugan babies everywhere! So I guess it's not mine.

Hinata- 17/going on 18, 23 weeks pregnant

Neji- 19

Warnings: Language

* * *

_"The best protection any woman can have... is courage."_

**-Elizabeth Cady Stanton**

* * *

**Chapter 14: Secondhand Smoke**

Hyuuga Neji was in a _good_ mood. It didn't matter that he had just spent eight grueling hours in the mission room, being teased relentlessly by his fellow jounin about his new position, being scolded by Iruka for being too lax with the filing, fending off the gossip-mongers known as Kotetsu and Izumo. Because lately, everything had just been going so _right_.

Okay, so he wasn't happy that his cousin had been suffering relentlessly from PTSD and couldn't even sleep properly in fear of nightmares. But he was happy that he had finally found the source of her ailing health. And he was happy that, now that he knew, he could help her take care of it. He _was_ helping her take care of it. She was letting him, trusting him. Last night, he had fallen asleep with her in his arms. A soft sigh. He could still remember how good that felt, how soft she was curled against him, so small, how good she smelled... He wanted to get home to her.

It became quickly apparent that wouldn't happen immediately, seeing as how someone had managed to catch him completely unawares and scoop him up into a bearhug. Only one person had ever been able to do that, and the subtle scent of mint only concreted his suspicions. "Lee... Lee, put me down this instant!"

He was obeyed, but since he now had his arms full of a bun-haired brunette, he supposed it didn't much matter. "Tenten?" Just what the hell was going on here? Up until now, his teammates hadn't even looked at him without glaring in disgust.

"Neji, why didn't you just tell us?"

Looking down into the girl's familiar brown eyes, he felt a frown tug at his lips. It was obvious something had greatly upset her. Something that had then prompted both her and Lee to come find and hug him. And while that may not have been particularly unusual for Lee, Tenten was _not_ big on hugging without due cause. "Tell you what?" He just knew he wasn't going to like whatever it was.

_~To protect what's precious~_

Kurenai smiled down at the little girl fast asleep in her crib, a few stuffed animals strewn around her, vibrant green blanket (a gift from Gai) pulled snugly over her. It was only eight o'clock, and usually Kurenai didn't put her to bed until closer to eight-thirty or even nine, but... well, it had been an exhausting day. Being a single parent wasn't easy, and she just really needed the break.

Sighing in relief, she settled back comfortably onto the couch, glass of imported wine in one hand, book in the other. This was the part of the day she looked forward to most... so of course it was interrupted by near frantic knocking at the door.

She bolted to answer for two reasons. First of all, the last thing she wanted was for her daughter, one of the most reluctant sleepers in the world, to be woken by the noise. She _did not_ want to go through the hassle of bedtime again. Second, with the way the person was banging, she was afraid it might be someone coming to summon her... and that only happened when the village was under attack since she was still on extended maternity leave.

Throwing her front door open, she was almost sure she would see another jounin, or even an ANBU standing there. She had never expected to see her old student, flushed and out of breath, barely holding back tears.

"Hinata!" She quickly ushered the girl inside, all thoughts of keeping quiet completely set on the back burner in her worry. "Sweetie, what happened? Are you hurt?" Red eyes were already scanning the girl professionally, looking for any sign of injury. There was nothing overtly noticeable, like blood, but that didn't mean much. A hand was placed on the girl's forehead to check for fever. "What happened, Hinata?"

Hinata took a deep, shuddering breath. Then another. Then another. "Sensei..."

Kurenai literally flinched at the sound of the girl's voice. Never had Hinata sounded so... lost.

"Sensei, I need to tell someone. I just... I need to tell someone the truth. The _whole_ truth. Please."

The older woman immediately wrapped her up in her arms, fussing over her like you would a small child. "Sweetheart, you know you can tell me anything."

_~To protect what's precious~_

"She told you what?"

Tenten and Lee both unconsciously took a half-step back when faced with the deadly, icy calm of Neji's voice. They could see the muscle in his jaw work frantically and his hands clench and unclench repeatedly.

"She... she told us the truth," Tenten reiterated nervously. She couldn't remember ever seeing Neji so furious. "She told us why you really slept together."

_~To protect what's precious~_

Kurenai's house was filled with a deafening silence once the Hyuuga girl had finished her story. Several times the jounin opened her mouth to speak, always shutting it for lack of anything constructive to say. It felt rather like her brain had just imploded from the storm of information (horror) she had just been told. How the hell was she supposed to handle this?

"S-sensei?"

Looking up in a daze, she saw Hinata sitting at the other end of her couch, fingers pressing and twisting, opal eyes wide and scared. What should she _do_?

"I-I-I know I m-messed up. A-are you a-a-angry with me?"

The second those words left the girl's lips, Kurenai stopped trying to think this all out carefully and logically. Her body had moved before her mind had the chance to catch up, wrapping the girl into a crushing embrace, mouth insisting, "Don't be ridiculous. You haven't done _anything_ wrong, Hinata."

"I-I... b-b-but... the mission... I-I-"

Kurenai took the girl's shoulders firmly in each hand, pulling back so their eyes could meet, a picture of absolute seriousness. Her voice came out slow and even, words enunciated carefully to be sure the chuunin heard every word, knowing how deathly important they were. "_Everyone_ makes mistakes, Hinata. Yours just had bigger consequences than most. But there is _no way_ I would be angry with you. _No one_ would be angry with you. What happened _was not_ your fault." Kami, why was she just finding out now that this had happened? Why hadn't her old student come to her right away?

The girl sniffed lightly, lavender orbs pleading and shining with still unshed tears. "Really?"

"Of course!" The woman sighed and shut her eyes, trying to make herself think. Hinata was very, _very_ vulnerable right now. She had to be careful with what she said and how she said it. If the girl took something the wrong way, it could have a dire outcome. But this... as much as she was sure Hinata needed the reassurance she'd just given, she knew the girl better than that. Hinata would never seek her out just for that, she would bottle it up before ever bothering anyone with her problems. Unless...

"Hinata, was there something else you wanted to tell me?"

_~To protect what's precious~_

"I really wish you would have just told me, Neji." Tenten's eyes were soft and compassionate, though an obvious sense of frustration was swimming just beneath the surface. "I would have understood, y'know. I... I can even understand where Hinata was coming from, though I still don't think it's fair to you. And then the whole baby thing was just an accide-"

"Never repeat this to anyone. Ever."

The brunette flinched at his tone.

"Neji-kun," Lee said evenly, thick brows furrowed in unusual seriousness, "Tenten is not the one you should be angry with."

The Hyuuga took a deep breath, trying desperately to calm himself. He didn't think that had ever been a more difficult task. "No, of course not. I'm not angry with you, Tenten. Just don't repeat this again." He paused, whole body strained. "Please."

"I-I wouldn't! Honestly, Neji, I would never tell this to anyone!" She bit her lip, looking almost sad for a moment. "I know you must be... embarrassed by this-"

"It's not that simple." The Hyuuga genius scrubbed his face with his hands, not caring if he looked less than perfect in front of his teammates. His friends. "I really can't discuss this right now without snapping at you. I'll explain things more thoroughly at a later date, but I really must go before I lose my temper."

Neither Lee nor Tenten was stupid enough to argue with the jounin when he was close to losing it. "Yeah, okay, Nej. Just... remember that we're here for you, okay? If you want to talk about... any of this."

An impossibly stiff nod, a curt, "Have a good night," and the boy spun on his heel, immediately taking to the roofs and flying towards his home, rage coursing through his veins like liquid adrenaline. What the hell had Hinata been thinking? He was going to strangle his stupid little cousin when he got his hands on her.

_~To protect what's precious~_

"I... I think he might be ups-s-set when he finds out w-what I d-d-did."

Kurenai blinked, still trying to process the newest part of this whole mess. "You told his teammates... oh..." She could practically sense the apprehension leaking off the girl. "And you did this after he specifically told you not to?"

"H-hai." Hinata's hands were raw and red from her scrubbing them together so furiously. "I d-d-did it for him, but... he d-doesn't like people g-g-going against his orders. I th-think he t-takes it as a blow to his p-p-pride."

Well Kurenai had to admit, the boy certainly had plenty of that in stock. But despite that... from what the girl had told her so far... "Hinata, I don't think he'll be upset because of wounded pride."

The hands froze, voice hopeful, "You don't think he'll be ups-set?"

"Oh, he'll be upset all right. I just don't think you understand why yet." The woman moved closer to the couch's other occupant, wrapping her arm around the girl's shoulders and drawing her closer, bringing her to cuddle up against her. "What is it you're really afraid of, Hinata? Are you afraid of Neji?"

"N-no!"

"Then...?"

"I just..." The Hyuuga looked away, unable to meet her sensei's gaze for some reason. "I couldn't l-let him suffer anymore because of m-m-me. Even if he d-does hate me for it. B-but I don't want him to h-h-hate me again like when we were y-younger. And I d-d-don't want him to treat me l-l-like a s-stranger again either. I don't think... I d-don't think I could t-take that." She forced herself to take a deep breath, willing away a fresh wave of tears that tried to make themselves known. "That's what I'm most afraid of."

There it was. The true source of her dilemma. If Neji abandoned her now, whether it be because of this incident or something in the unforeseen future... she would never survive, not in her current state. He held more power over her at the moment than anyone ever had in her memory. He had the power to completely destroy her. And she knew it.

"Hinata," Kurenai said softly, gently stroking her fingers through the girl's dark hair, "Neji cares very deeply for you. I haven't even seen him, and I'm sure of it. He's not going to hate you or ignore you." She tilted the girl's chin up, crimson meeting lavender. "But you need to tell him how you feel. _Exactly_ how you feel."

The girl's forehead creased in confusion. "I d-don't know what you-"

"You know exactly what I mean." She crushed the younger woman to her chest, holding her as close as physically possible. "_Trust me_, sweetie... if you don't do it now, you may regret it forever."

As Hinata breathed in the woman's scent, she became painfully aware of just what was missing. Back when she was younger, her sensei had always had two distinct scents, which her team had delighted in teasing the woman about. Kiba could smell them a mile away, but even Hinata, when she would hug the red-eyed jounin, could decipher them. Cinnamon and tobacco, even though she didn't smoke.

Her breath hitched a bit. Kurenai hadn't smelled like tobacco in nearly two years.

"Thank you, sensei."

_~To protect what's precious~_

Neji slammed the door to his cottage open so hard it was a miracle the poor thing didn't go flying off its hinges. "HINATA!" If he had been even slightly calm, he would have been horrified by how oddly high-pitched his voice had come out. As it was, all he could focus on was the soft, wary voice that called, "In here," from the bedroom.

He was there before he realized he'd moved, throwing that door open as well, eyes pure silver lightening as they fixed on the form of the small girl sitting on his bed, pressing her fingers together in that _annoying_ fucking way. "Knock that off!" he barked, slapping them apart. Her grabbed her by the collar of her jacket and absolutely yanked her to her feet, anger fueled by the way she just let him drag her around. "Just what _fuck_ were you thinking?" he hissed.

"Well, I-"

"I _told you_ not to tell anyone that. I _specifically_ told you not to ever say that. How dare you go behind my back, saying such disgusting things."

Hinata actually felt a chill of fear run down her spine as she watched the man in front of her. She had known he would be angry, but she hadn't quite expected this. She didn't know he could get this angry. This was much worse than he had been that night in her room, all those months ago, the night he had first saved her. What she saw in front of her now was absolute, pure fury. He was trembling with suppressed rage, Byakuugan activating and deactivating on its own, the protruding veins making him look all the more frightening. She felt herself start to tremble as well. "I j-j-just thought-"

"There is no excuse for this, Hinata."

"But-"

"YOU TOLD THEM YOU ORDERED ME TO FUCK YOU!" he roared, and she tried to jump back, only to be prevented by his grip on her collar. He really was starting to scare her a little. "I... I d-didn't s-s-say it quite like th-th-th-th-th-th-"

"It doesn't matter how you worded it or what extra excuses you gave! It still comes back to the same damn thing!" He shook her, teeth clenched, and she shut her eyes, as if she could will his anger away. "Don't you understand how that makes you look? Even with the story you fed them, you still seem like some kind of scheming, heartless _bitch_!"

"I-I know that-"

"Then why would you _say_ something like that?"

"I j-just..." She felt tears fill her eyes, even though she knew now really wasn't the time to break down. She was just so overwhelmed by his anger. "I d-d-didn't want you to s-suffer bec-c-cause of m-me."

An absolute snarl left his lips. "Dammit, Hinata, that's my _job_! I'm your fucking PROTECTOR!"

"Well, maybe I wish you weren't my protector!"

The silence that followed her statement was crushing. Neji looked like she had just slapped him across the face. "What?"

For a moment the girl faltered, afraid to say what needed to be said. This was her last chance to back out, to try and take the last sentence back, to- No. There was no backing out of this. She was strong enough. She could do this. She was terrified; but she could do this.

"You-you heard me! I don't want you to be my protector anymore! I don't..." Tears fell hot and unstoppable in a flood down her face, but she refused to let them hinder her words. "I don't want to be your _job_ anymore."

Neji felt an odd weight settle in his chest. Just what was she saying? That she didn't want him around? That she... didn't need him? His body suddenly felt very cold. "Hinat-"

"No!" she yelled around her tears. "I'm not done yet!"

The older boy fell obediently silent, watching her through carefully guarded eyes. She hated that fucking mask of his, hated it when he wore it around her. She would crack it. One way or another, even if it was for the last time, he would show her what he really felt. She _would _tell him her feelings. All of them.

She didn't want to never have the chance to smell like tobacco.

"I don't _want_ to be a job to you anymore. I don't want you to stay just because you have to. I want to mean _more_ to you than that." She scrubbed furiously at her red-rimmed eyes, trying to clear her blurry vision. She needed to see his reaction, even if only for a moment. "You're my most precious person. I care about you so much, and without you here, I don't know what I would do. The thought of you leaving scares me. But the thought of you sticking around just because of some warped sense of duty to the clan is even worse." If he abandoned her, she would break. But if he stayed out of no more than a sense of obligation? There would be nothing left to break in the first place.

Neji's lips slowly parted. "Do you want me to go then?" His voice was calm and even, face still a blank slate, giving away not a hint of how he felt. Hinata felt the hysterics rise up inside her at his seemingly disinterested attitude while she was here spilling her guts. Did he really not care even a little?

"Of course I don't want you to go! I don't ever want you to go, but if you don't care for me more than a protector, then just fucking leave! Don't you see how much that hurts me? Don't you understand that I love you, you fucking JERK!"

The last word, screamed at the top of her lungs, had just barely left her lips before her back hit against the solid wall, and Neji was kissing her, hard. Again. And again. And again.

* * *

What's that? This should be the last short chapter? Why yes, dear readers, that's correct. The next one will be at least 6,000 words, on my honor as a fanfiction author.

Obviously, Hinata didn't tell Lee and Tenten the truth. She has a reason for this mind you, but I can't tell you what that reason is just yet. You'll have to stop back next time to find out. On the bright side, she did tell her sensei and Neji the truth (different truths, but still the truth). Yay for Kurenai and awkward confessions!

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	16. Canine Calculations

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto there would be Byakuugan babies everywhere! So I guess it's not mine.

Hinata- 17/going on 18, 23 weeks pregnant / 18, 26 weeks pregnant

Neji- 19

Warnings: Language, Hints of Citrus

* * *

_"A diplomat is a man who always remembers a woman's birthday but never remembers her age."_

**-Robert Frost**

* * *

**Chapter 15: Canine Calculations**

So it wasn't quite the dream confession Neji had always had in mind. In reality, her thoughts had seemed incredibly jumbled, like there were a million things she wanted to say and couldn't get any of it to come out clearly. She had also screamed it at him, and then called him a name right after. Oh, and she'd been crying. But it was still a confession nonetheless, it held the words he'd so desperately wanted to, but never thought he would actually hear. That was good enough.

The kiss wasn't exactly what he'd imagined either. She was just as soft as he'd known she would be, yes, but that was where the similarities ended. Pressing his lips hungrily against her own, pinning her smaller body with his larger one, it became quickly apparent that he was getting no reaction from his partner. She wasn't trying to move away from him or anything like that... but she wasn't exactly helping him out either.

"Kiss me back," he urged, before immediately renewing his attempts. After a long hesitation, he felt her lips move very, _very_ shyly against his own, like she had no idea what she was doing whatsoever. Almost like she'd never done this before; though she must have done it at least once, she was _pregnant_.

Working around her inexperience and timidity, Neji expertly led the kiss, encouraging her with his own mouth to keep doing as she was. His tongue lapped at her lips, willing them to part for him, but of course, no such thing happened. He doubted Hinata was even aware of what he was asking.

Pulling back, he whispered huskily, "Open your mouth," pressing his thumb against her chin to do just that. His tongue dove in, to find she didn't taste a thing like honey. In fact, she tasted very much like pickles, making him glad he'd never been averse to the food the way some people were. Though, he didn't think he would care just what she tasted like at this point so long as he was given the opportunity to taste her. So long as this time, no one woke him up.

One of his hands cupped the back of her head, tangling in her hair, pushing their faces as close together as possible. The other shoved her jacket unceremoniously from one shoulder, grabbing her chest almost greedily, as he pushed a knee between her shaky legs. He felt her hands fly up from her sides, grab the fabric of his coat which had yet to be removed, as he slowly ground himself against her, his hardness pressing insistently against her waist. His hand abandoned her breast, sliding down her front to slip deftly up her shirt, running over the smooth lump of her abdomen. He wanted to feel every inch of her-

"Mmmmnnh."

The Hyuuga genius froze, eyes flying open in shock. That... that had not been a sound of pleasure. Quickly releasing the girl's lips, he pulled his head back to look into her face, heart clenching at the sight. She was scared. Her trembling wasn't from excitement or lust, it was apprehension and fear. Kami, he was so stupid. He had been so caught up in his own selfish desires, he hadn't even noticed what he was doing to her.

"I'm sorry," he said quickly, softly, easing away from her, giving her some room while still staying close. "I'm sorry."

Her eyes fixed on his, oddly glazed, and she blinked several times like she didn't know where she was. "Niisan..."

Neji had never wanted more to kick his own ass. Here she was terrified, and he was practically eating her face. He was supposed to be smart, dammit. How had he neglected to take, not only her obvious inexperience, but also her inconstant fear of him into account? He knew when he got too close she got wary, it seemed almost more like instinct than her actual feelings, a preservation method she had come up with over the years when he treated her so badly. He couldn't just jump her like that.

When she shifted uncomfortably and started to move away from him, he really hated himself. He couldn't let her pull away, not now. If he did, she might not ever come back. He gathered her swiftly into his arms, but he kept his hold as light as possible, trying not to stifle or scare her further. The last thing he wanted was her to fear him.

"I'm sorry, Hinata," he reiterated, a bit desperate now. He kissed her temple, her cheek, trying to convey how guilty he felt. "I moved too fast, I'm sorry."

The girl blinked again, trying to ground herself by taking in the feel of her face pressed into the rough fabric of her cousin's winter coat. Her heartbeat was still erratic, still too fast, her breath still refused to come in as easily as it should, her mind still refused to completely let go of things that weren't there; but when she heard the pleading tone in Neji's voice, something inside her woke up, pushing everything else away. She had done it again. He had been trying to show her affection, _real_ affection this time, and she had freaked out. She had upset him. Why did she have to be so pathetic?

"N-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-" _Kami, why can't I even get a word out?_

"Relax." He stroked her hair slowly, noting how she was no longer making any attempts to get away from him, how her shaking was fading. "That was a mistake on my part. I apologize, it won't happen again." He pulled back just a little, enough so he could look down into her face. "This- everything- _us_, it goes at your pace. You're in charge here."

Hinata felt her eyebrows raise of their own accord. Neji, domineering, bossy Neji, was giving her verbal permission to control whatever happened between them. Neji _hated_ being controlled, by anyone, no matter how insignificant the circumstances, had raged when he was younger about his destiny being controlled by fate, his life being controlled by the main house. That he would give anyone even the slightest bit of power over himself when it could be avoided... it was a huge gesture on his part. It showed her just how much he trusted her. How much he... cared for her. That he was willing to give up what he sought after for so long, all for her.

"A-a-a-a... Arigatou." And she stood up on her tiptoes, pressing her lips to his, the kiss neither long nor short, deep nor chaste. She wished she could do more, but for now it would have to do. But she would keep trying. She would get better.

Neji smiled at her, as genuine and sweet a smile as Neji was capable of giving, when she opened her eyes again. "Thank you."

Opal eyes scrunched in confusion. "Wh-what for?"

His fingers smoothed over the creased brow, thinking how adorable she looked like that. "You kissed me. Thank you."

Hinata blushed, the unspoken words suddenly becoming clear. _Thank you for choosing me. Thank you for not sending me away. Thank you for wanting to be with me._ Neji had needed the reassurance of that kiss more than she initially realized. "Y-you're welcome."

His eyes seemed to shine, mask down, and he took her hand, tugging her gently towards the door. "Come on, I'm starving. Ichiraku's. Maybe Naruto will be there."

"H-hai!" She wrapped her fingers around his own, almost surprised at just how _right_ everything suddenly felt. How, even though she didn't think they acted any differently, Naruto's blue eyes had lit up with hidden knowledge when the two of them entered the ramen stand. How Ino had given them this sly smirk when she stopped them on the street. How gentle Neji had been when he pulled her into bed with him, wrapping her up safely in his arms.

"Hinata," Neji said softly through the darkness, "there's something I have to know... When you decided to tell Tenten and Lee something so they would no longer be angry with me, why didn't you just tell them the truth? Why make up such an elaborate story?"

The girl pouted just a little, voice jesting, "You didn't l-l-like my story?"

Neji chuckled shortly. "It was surprisingly believable. The clan tried to force you into an arranged marriage with a much older man, so you needed to lose your virginity in order to become unfit for the union. Out of desperation, you sought me out, and through a combination of persuading, ordering, and begging, got me to help. The pregnancy was an oversight on both our parts."

"It took me a-a-all day to come up with it."

"Congratulations, you managed to spin a convincing tale. You knew if you told them the same thing you told the elders, that I was merely your branch house courtesan, they would never believe it; they know you too well. From there you managed to think up something they _could_ find you capable of. I didn't think you had it in you."

She smacked his arm playfully. "L-like you said, it was s-s-surprisingly bel-lievable. Can't you just see them pulling something l-like that?"

Neji kissed her forehead lightly. "I can indeed... Though how exactly do you suppose they would check to see that you were still a virgin before your wedding night?"

"I-I... eww, Neji! N-now it's in my head!"

"Ah, the traditions of the mighty Hyuuga clan."

"Stop it! I j-j-just made it up!"

"Tenten and Lee don't know that."

"Ewwww!" she whined, covering her ears to keep them from further assault.

He laughed much louder and longer than he usually did in response. When he sobered once more, he squeezed her momentarily, nearly whispering, "You never answered my question."

The girl sighed, knowing he was right. In a way, she'd been hoping he would let the matter drop, but then, he had every right to know. "You... you were right before. L-lee... he's very l-l-loud and he doesn't th-think much before he speaks. He would p-p-probably let it slip by accident. And I... I d-don't want anyone to kn-kn-know that you're not the father."

"Oh?" He gave her a bit of a perplexed look, though she couldn't see it in the unlit room. "You didn't seem to mind much before. What changed?"

Quite a bit had changed really, but mostly her motivations had altered. Before, Neji had insisted on keeping it secret so to protect her status in the clan, something she hadn't and still didn't care anything for. Now...

"I-I-I... w-well..." She shut her eyes and took a deep breath, hoping he wouldn't get upset with what she was about to say. "I suppose y-y-you were what made me change my mind. How g-good you've been to me. It m-m-made me think, and I realized that you would truly make an exc-cellent father. And... I know it's s-s-selfish, but..." She paused, unsure of just how to say what she felt. "Y-you're my m-most precious person, niisan... but o-o-only for four more months. My d-d-daughter would benefit from h-having a father; so I'll try to ens-s-sure that she gets one." Biting her lip, she knew she had explained that badly... very badly. Maybe she should try again...

"Basically, you're saying you don't want anyone to know, because you _want_ me to be your daughter's father."

It was nice to have a smart cousin. "Y-yes, that's what I'm saying. I kn-know it's selfish to t-t-trap you like that, especially after a-a-all you've done for me; but if it will h-h-help my baby, I'll do anyth-thing. I'm sorry."

Neji reached through the dark and ran his hand soothingly over her 'baby bump'. She was sorry? Kami, what for? She had willingly put her own reputation on the line in order to make sure it was _him_ that was always known as her child's father. Out of all the choices she had (and he knew she had many choices even if she didn't), it was _him_ that she wanted, _him_ that she trusted enough to care for her baby... No... it wasn't her baby. It was _their_ baby now. No more pretending just to save face, just to keep her safe, no more lies. It was really _his_ baby. His princess.

And as they lay their, they both found they were unable to mold together properly due to the hindering lump of Hinata's belly. An inconvenience that made everything feel as it should.

_~To protect what's precious~_

Kiba frowned as he paused just outside the entrance to the butcher shop, sharp brown eyes darting to a fro in suspicion. The scent of the blood and meat from the building in front of him was nearly overpowering in its strength but... ah yes, there. That smell that had become all too familiar lately. He growled. Gai was following him again.

As much as he hated to sound like Shikamaru, the Inuzuka boy couldn't help but think how troublesome this whole situation was becoming. Never before had he regretted opening his big mouth as much as he did now. Kurenai-sensei always had warned him that it would be his downfall. He just never expected it to happen like this.

"**Kiba-kun! A Bright and Youthful day to you and your Loved ones during this Joyous holiday season!"**

Kiba frowned hard enough to hurt, in a more sour mood than usual. It was a miserable and dreary day, wet and cold, and he was tired enough to feel like an old man, far from youthful. How did Gai have the capacity to be so damn happy all the time? Even a generally optimistic person like him couldn't understand it. Then again, maybe it just bothered him so much because Gai had suddenly begun appearing wherever it was he went. At first he thought it was just coincidence but now... no, now it was obvious. Gai wanted information. Information that Kiba was most definitely not willing to give.

"Hello, Gai-sensei. What can I do for you?"

"**Nothing at all, my Dear boy. I just returned to the village after yet another Youthful and Invigorating mission for our Fair village, when I saw you walking by and thought to spread the Joy of Youth with you." **

Kiba blinked. He was starting to understand why Neji seemed so pissed off all the time. "That's... great. Thanks..." He turned to enter the shop when Gai's voice boomed out from behind him, **"I was wondering if perhaps you had seen my Adorable student Neji lately. Since he has been taken off of his usual Youthful missions, I have not had the chance to speak with him." **

The dog-nin vaguely wondered if Neji knew Gai was going around calling him adorable. "Y'know I really haven't, sorry." Not unless you counted two days ago, of course, but there was no need to split hairs. "Why don't you go drop by and see him yourself?" _Stop harassing me, I ain't tellin' you shit._

"**Ah, I may just do that. After all, there is no time to waste in the Springtime-"**

The door to the butcher's slammed shut, and Kiba leaned back against it with a sigh, pressing fingers to his aching temples. He really, _really_ hated his big mouth.

Outside, Gai frowned a little, but at the same time felt his spirit lift. Kiba wouldn't last much longer, it was becoming obvious. No one could hold out against the power of youth forever.

_~To protect what's precious~_

Shino glanced up from his book as his loud boyfriend returned from shopping, meat and other ingredients for dinner in tow. After knowing Kiba for so long and living with him for months now, he had come to decipher the other man's mood simply by the movements he made or, as in this case, the sound of those movements. With the force the door slammed shut, the way the footsteps were even more banging than usual, and the way the grocery bags were set unceremoniously on the ground as he wrestled his coat off, Shino devised that Kiba was annoyed. Not angry, not quite at least, but most definitely upset by something.

"Okaeri," he said as the familiar brunette stomped his way into the living room. He considered asking what had happened, but knowing Kiba he would just scoff, rant and rave about absolutely nothing, and then sulk. Might as well just skip the whole ordeal. "Ino and Chouji should arrive within the hour to do the cooking. The others will arrive around five. Neji will arrive with Hinata at six."

At the mention of the evening's plans, the pouting boy brightened visibly, a small smirk making its way to his lips. "I can't wait; Hina-chan's gonna love it. Who all's comin'?"

Shino inclined his head slightly in agreement with the statement, then answered, "Everyone but Lee and Tenten. I believe they still feel rather uncomfortable in Hinata's presence."

"Yeah, I noticed that too," Kiba scowled, "but they're not angry with Neji no more... Somethin' happened between them that we don't know about."

Shino hummed.

"And it don't bother you that we don't know about it?"

Ah this, the Aburame had come to notice, was an increasingly frequent worry Kiba seemed to have. Ever since Hinata had gotten pregnant and refused to give the true father's name... No. No, even before that, their female teammate had seemed like she was starting to pull away from them. The numerous and, by now, expected hugs she showered both boys with, had suddenly ceased. In fact, physical contact of any type had all but stopped. If either of them made any move to touch her, she would immediately tense, and Shino would be lying if he said it didn't hurt a little, especially after growing up with so few people who wanted to touch him. Then she had started downright avoiding them, which luckily stopped when they found out about her condition and she stopped trying to hide it from them. Even so, her distance from them was apparent and painful. For both of them. "You know it does."

"Then why don't we _do_ something about it?" the Inuzuka demanded, fangs bared.

Brown eyebrows slowly rose from behind dark glasses. "Do what?"

"I dunno. Try'n make her tell us, or-"

"Kiba." Shino shot his boyfriend a disapproving look. "Think about what it is you're saying."

"But-"

"Hinata is under no obligation to tell us anything she does not wish to. You know that."

The words made the dog-nin deflate, defeat painting his sharp features. "I know, sorry. She just... she never used to keep secrets from us."

"I know." Shino refused to let his own dejection color his voice; Kiba could probably smell it anyway. "For now, leave it be. Lately she's been coming around again."

Kiba once again perked up, smiling rather lecherously. "Yeah... ever since she and Neji _officially_ got together she-"

"Kiba. I do not wish to know what it is Hinata and Neji do together. So wherever you were going, don't."

Cackling maniacally, Kiba scooped up the groceries, good mood having returned full force once more. "Nothin' like teasin' your stiff of a boyfriend t'make ya feel better."

Shino said nothing in reply, just returned to his reading like there had never been any interruption in the first place. He'd get his revenge later. He always did.

_~To protect what's precious~_

A random tune, just ever so slightly off-pitch, hummed throughout the room as the dark-haired girl worked diligently on her task of rearranging Neji's bookshelves. For someone as rigid and seemingly systematic as her older cousin, he was incredibly lax and disorganized about some things. Apparently the concept of alphabetical order had never crossed his mind.

The listless noise making its way through her closed lips stopped as she felt said cousin's familiar presence appear behind her. There was a blatant pause before a pair of arms wrapped around her, pulling her snugly into a warm chest. A pause she appreciated greatly; the first time he had come up behind and grabbed her like that, shinobi habit had made him stealthy, silent, and completely invisible to the chakraless girl. Hinata had proceeded to jump about ten feet in the air before attempting to cut the, by then, equally startled boy's throat. Neji had never again snuck up on her like that.

"You really don't have to do that, you know," he said, obviously amused. "They've always been just fine the way they are."

The girl sniffed primly, diligently moving a 'c' up to the top shelf. "It bothers me. This way you can f-f-find what you're looking for r-right away."

"Mm." Hands on her shoulders turned her around to face that familiar smirk. Lips descended on hers in the lightest press, pulling away almost immediately after. "Thank you then. But I have a much more pressing favor to ask you."

Lavender eyes were immediately attentive, making his chest warm. She always managed to do that, make it seem like the whole world revolved around him when he was quite aware it did not. It was just one of the things he loved about her. "I would very much like to take you out to dinner. Will you accompany me?"

There was the slightest roll of those gorgeous appendages at the reveal of his 'pressing' favor. Nonetheless, she rewarded him with a soft smile, stammering something about getting changed before scurrying away to her- _their_ bedroom. Thank goodness she had readily agreed (not that he'd expected any differently), because otherwise the entire night would have been ruined. He could hardly show up at the Aburame compound without the guest of honor.

As they shut the front door firmly behind them, the crisp air smacking them so very politely in the face, Neji carefully linked his fingers with those of the smaller girl, watching her reaction carefully. When she offered him a small smile and lightly squeezed his hand, he knew it was okay. And he'd assumed it would be, he just... he needed to tread carefully when it came to Hinata and intimacy. She was just so damn shy about everything.

A strong gust of wind whipping her hair around her face, Hinata surveyed the compound, followed by the streets of Konoha, eyes bright. There had been a snowfall earlier that day, but only a light dusting, just enough to make everything look pretty in the fast oncoming darkness. Christmas had only been two days ago, so decorations were still up, swaying in the breeze, everything still had a relaxed, _happy_ feel to it, as it would until after the large New Years celebration still to come. It was always Hinata's favorite time of year, and this year... She rubbed her swollen belly, and shot a shy glance her cousin's way. This year everything about the holidays so far had just been perfect (she'd been using that word a lot lately, hadn't she?).

It had been three weeks since she and Neji had started... dating? Was that an appropriate term? No matter, in the privacy of her own mind at least, it would do. So it had been three weeks since she and Neji had started dating. The older brunette had been... amazing. She really couldn't think of a better, more eloquent, or more accurate word to describe it. He had showered her with affection and attention, had seemed eager to make her happy, to constantly bring her small gifts, to lightly touch her arm, her shoulder, her back. Her stomach. He enjoyed talking about their baby, _their baby _he always said so proudly, enjoyed looking over the books they had gotten with her, enjoyed, interestingly enough, to surprise her with her favorite pregnancy snack. And he enjoyed the quick kisses they shared, enjoyed holding her on the couch or in their bed (she blushed at the term), enjoyed any physical contact he could get. She knew it annoyed him how slow things were progressing in that area, but he never said a negative thing about it, let her take her time, just as he'd promised. He was really being so very sweet about it all.

Not that he wasn't still pissy on occasion. This was Neji after all. Just last week he'd gotten his feathers all ruffled because he claimed Hinata was more comfortable around Naruto than she was him. Which wasn't even true. So, over the course of approximately an hour, he first grew cold and distant and overly _polite_ in that way she despised, then got bitchy and snapped at her about something completely unrelated, then went off to sulk alone for a bit. Then he came back, smothered her with love and praise, and muttered about how he was sorry.

Hinata, for her part, chose to take this all in stride. He just wouldn't be Neji without the occasional temper tantrum, and she wouldn't have him any other way. Cheeks heating up further, she bit her lip to keep from grinning stupidly at her own giddiness. Truth be told, this all still felt too surreal, like a dream she would wake up from, wake up to find them still just friends. Or worse, wake up to find them still strangers. Because having Neji, the ultimate shinobi, the prodigy of their clan, the perfect picture of masculine beauty want her... how could that be real?

"We need to stop by Shino's on the way."

Hinata's immediate response was to stare stupidly, her thoughts still reeling with everything that made the older boy a god in her mind. Finally, "Ah, Sh-shino-kun? Why?"

"I lent him a book I'd like returned. When I saw him earlier he said he had completed it and I could drop in anytime." His lips twitched as he glanced down her way. "That is if it's all right with you, of course."

He chuckled softly as she stumbled all over herself in agreement, slowly bringing an arm up to wrap around her thin shoulders. Waiting with baited breath, every shinobi instinct on alert should she stiffen under his touch in the slightest, he let himself relax when he was sure she was still relaxed. She really didn't seem to mind his touching her, so long as his hold never became stifling and he never snuck up on her. And even that seemed to be getting better in small, very small, increments. It was somewhat frustrating, but Neji was no fool. He knew the prize he had managed to catch, and he wasn't about to let it go so easily. He would do just about anything for her; and he had always been a very patient man.

The Aburame compound was silent as a grave (nothing unusual there), and the house Shino and Kiba currently shared was equally as quiet and mostly dark. Neji frowned when he felt a loud spike of chakra that could only possibly belong to their hyperactive blond friend wash over him clear as day, fearing everything would be utterly ruined... until he remembered that Hinata couldn't feel chakra right then if her life depended on it. She was as oblivious as a civilian, smiling and nodding politely to one of Shino's relatives as they passed and approached the front door. Good. Otherwise Naruto would have quite a bit to answer for.

"Hinata-chan, Neji-san."

"Good evening, Shino-san."

Hinata watched the interaction between the two overly formal boys with dry amusement. They could both really gain from relaxing every once in a while. "Hello, Shino-kun."

He gave the barest of smiles in her direction. "I have what you came for. Please come in while I retrieve it."

Accepting the invitation, the Hyuuga pair followed him inside the house, stepping into the dimly lit living room, Hinata frowning a bit as she wondered why it was so dark-

"SURPRISE!"

The startled girl squeaked, jumping back and into strong arms that caught her from behind. She gripped onto Neji's thigh like a lifeline, opal eyes darting to and fro. What the hell?

"Happy birthday, Hinata," a smooth voice chuckled in her ear as her friends, all with wide grins in place, approached her happily.

The birthday girl took a moment, trying to slow her heart rate back to normal. "Holy shit," she breathed softly, which of course made everyone laugh.

"Sorry if we scared you," Ino said warmly, wrapping her up in an embrace when she stepped away from her cousin. "Happy birthday."

"Th-thank you." Her lips parted into a genuine smile as she looked around to find all of her friends there. "Thank you very much."

She was passed around for hugs and well-wishes, followed by a large array of food. Nothing fancy, just some disposable plates and the rookies all lounged about in Shino and Kiba's living room, talking and laughing together. Sake was, of course, provided, and everyone but the birthday girl partook of the gracious offer.

"I'm sorry you can't drink on your birthday, Hinata-chan!" Naruto said with full sincerity. It was awfully cute.

"Th-that's quite all right, Naruto-kun, thank you. It w-w-won't be for much longer a-anyway."

Naruto stared blankly for a moment before, "Oh, you mean soon you're gonna have the baby! I can't wait! How much longer?"

Kiba casually whacked Naruto over the head for no apparent reason before repeating, "Yeah, Hina-chan, how much longer til you have the baby?"

"Teme, what the hell was that f-"

"W-w-well, a healthy pregnancy t-typically lasts f-forty weeks and I'm in my t-twenty-sixth now..."

"Approximately fourteen weeks," Sakura finished for her, leaning closer to the girl with a sly smile. "Don't expect them to be able to do math, Hinata."

"She should know better," Shino agreed dryly from the corner.

"Oi, bug-freak, that was just the one time-"

"Forgetting to put two zeros at the end of a number makes a big difference in the number, Kiba."

"I _said_ I was sorry-"

"So dogs can't count after all."

"Goddammit, Sai, why do you have to put your two cents in _everything_-"

"Calm down, Dickless-"

"That's it! If I'm dickless, just how fucking big is your penis, huh? I want to see it! Pull it out!"

WHAM! "Naruto! We are in _public_!"

"Sorry, Sakura-chaaan."

Hinata watched the typical interaction peacefully, happily chewing on some of her favorite food. She told a beaming Chouji that everything was delicious while he blushed and said how Ino had helped... A very bright blush. In fact, it could just about rival Hinata's own.

Shikamaru watched this drolly before turning away with rolled eyes. "Troublesome."

"I c-can't believe you took the time to d-d-do all this." The soft comment had been meant for no one else's ears, muttered only to herself in a barely there whisper, but she may as well have shouted it seeing as how everyone heard her. How did they always manage to _do_ that? She should really check into it.

"We really didn't do much of anything," Sakura protested immediately, while there were quite a few agreements added from all sides. Kiba unceremoniously plopped himself down next to the flushed girl, shoving Neji out of the way in the process and earning himself a fierce glare. The dog-nin threw an arm over her shoulders, purposefully ignoring the way she stiffened under the touch before relaxing.

"Ah, c'mon, Hina-chan, it's your _birthday_. We always do _something_. It's your _eighteenth_ birthday too."

"What's so special 'bout eighteen?" Naruto wondered aloud, making Kiba shrug a little.

"Dunno, people just always seem to think it's a special birthday. If she was a civvie she'd be a legal adult now, but since we're shinobi we're adults as soon as we graduate the academy-"

"I thought we were adults when we made chuunin."

"That... no, can't be. What if you're a shitty ninja and never make chuunin?"

"I thought shinobi were legal adults when they turned sixteen," Ino offered her input. "You know, when you can drink and have sex and everything."

"Yeah, but-"

Shino cleared his throat, causing immediate silence. "The law regarding when a shinobi becomes a legal adult, like many of Konoha's laws, is unclear. No specific age is given, and it is written in a way that leaves it up to interpretation given the specific situation."

There was a moment of silence before, "Oh. Well, you can buy porn now, Hina-chan, so you won't have to borrow my Icha Icha anymore!"

The poor girl went bright scarlet at the words, eyes turning frantically towards her teammate. "_Kiba!_"

"What's this now?" Ino demanded, eyes alight with... with something Hinata'd rather not contemplate. "Is our shy little Hinata a fan of Jiraiya's novels?"

"No!" the Hyuuga insisted, jerking forward in her seat, waving her hands in front of her like it would help her case. "No, it was just once!" That... really hadn't been the brightest thing to say.

From his spot smashed painfully against the arm of the couch, Neji watched disinterestedly as his cousin continued to insist she had no liking for whatever smut the toad-sannin had produced before his death (and posthumously as well now, seeing as how apparently there'd been a large array of manuscripts and drafts found lying about afterwards), far more interested in more pressing matters.

Like the fact that she had just about flinched when Kiba touched her, making his entire line of thinking on her intimacy problems rewrite itself.

There was no way she had been friends with Kiba for as long as she had and not gotten used to physical contact with him; he was an Inuzuka, after all. That could only mean this wasn't a regular occurrence. Meaning the PTSD that had affected her sleep so heavily had also taken its toll in other areas of her life, namely social interaction with others.

Which meant maybe she hadn't been afraid of _him_ all this time so much as she was afraid of another person in general. A horrible thing and certainly not good for her mental state; but it made that hollow feeling in his stomach ease a bit.

His musings were abruptly cut off when he realized Shikamaru was staring at him. Not just that, he was wearing that smirk. That 'I know something that I have no business knowing, but my abnormally large pineapple brain figured it out anyway' smirk. The rookies had all learned to fear when Shikamaru started doing that. "Can I help you, Nara?"

"Hinata looks much better."

Neji inclined his head a fraction of an inch, acknowledging the veiled compliment hidden within that statement. "She does."

"I'm glad." He let his head fall back with a tired sigh. "Worrying about her was getting troublesome."

"I'm sure." The Hyuuga genius wondered just where this conversation was going, if it was, in fact, going anywhere. It was entirely possible that Shikamaru was merely making small talk to pass the time. It was also possible Konoha's top strategist had something more in the works. Even an intelligent man like Neji could never be sure when it came to the lazy Nara.

"She's been a little skittish lately."

Ah, so he had noticed. Of course he had, behind that indifferent facade was a highly perceptive shinobi who noticed and committed to memory just about everything. "Hn."

"Then again, maybe lately isn't exactly the right word." Brown eyes looked over to bore into white. "She's been pretty jumpy for quite a while now."

Neji's lips tugged distinctly downwards, again unsure of Shikamaru's intentions. Was the younger boy accusing him of something? Of not noticing Hinata's condition sooner? "A little while I suppose."

Shikamaru began to frown himself, and Neji knew instinctively that he had missed something. The genius was trying to tell him something, hint at something in the very least, and Neji wasn't grasping whatever that something was. This in turn pissed off the Hyuuga who didn't like not understanding anything.

The intense, serious look gracing the chuunin's face gave way to the usual bored stare. "Well, at least she seems to be getting better."

Neji's brow creased in frustration, knowing he had missed his chance to work the puzzle out. What the hell had Shikamaru tried to tell him?

It was then, of course, that Sai chose to say something particularly lewd, not even realizing what he did wrong, causing Sakura and Naruto to both instantly attack and causing so much blood to rush to Hinata's face it was a miracle she didn't faint from the pressure, effectively ceasing Neji's thoughts on the shadow-nin and his words for the time being.

The rest of the evening played out like any usual gathering the rookies had. Around two in the morning, the Hyuugas finally took their leave, Hinata's cheeks dusted pink in a happy glow as she boldly took Neji's hand into her own. "I know you were at least p-partly responsible for this, n-n-niisan. Thank you."

Elegant fingers interlaced with her own. "Your teammates were the ones who really came up with the idea. But you're welcome." When Shino and Kiba had approached the rest of them with the idea, the rookies had collectively agreed it would be good. Hinata had had it awfully rough lately, she deserved some special treatment every once in a while.

The girl glanced up shyly through her bangs, a sweet little smile on her face, and Neji felt _those_ feelings start to stir inside him once more. Those feelings he'd been keeping tightly reigned in, lest he scare her away by initiating something she wasn't ready for. Those feelings that he now wanted to test out just a little. Both to confirm suspicions and, in a way, test his cousin's limits. Because as willing as he was to wait for her, if this was a side-effect of the PTSD and not just her regular, shy nature, she may need some help, a small push, to get her over this hump. But he couldn't do anything until he knew for sure.

That's why the moment they entered their small home, he stripped his coat quickly, helping her with hers before slowly wrapping her up in his arms, leaning down to plant a soft kiss against her flaming cheek. "Do you trust me, Hinata?"

Opal eyes searched his out, a little startled, brow creased in confusion. "Of c-course, Neji."

He already knew the answer, but he'd wanted, _needed_ to hear her say it anyway. "Good." He brushed her lips with his. "Stop me the second you're uncomfortable."

* * *

Sorry this took a little longer to get out than usual, but it is nice and long!

Okay, I know most of you have figured out by now at least somewhat what happened to Hinata. Now the question you might be asking yourself is 'why the hell hasn't Neji figured it out yet?' A valid question. Neji is a smart character and an experienced shinobi. However, please keep in mind that you as the readers have more insight than he does about the situation. Furthermore, he was convinced that a lot of the reason Hinata acted the way she did around him was because she was afraid of him, so he never looked into it too deeply. And lastly, he wouldn't come to the correct conclusion right away because, quite frankly, he wouldn't want to. What happened was obviously very bad, and our minds have a way of overlooking things we really don't like. You can see in this chapter, though, Neji's starting to understand things more clearly and figure things out. Just a matter of time now...

As far as next chapter goes, I'm going to tell you right now, there won't be a lemon. Yet. So don't get your hopes up. However, there will be some more mild citrussy content and some groping and whatnot. Because really, who doesn't like some good groping?

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I got over thirty reviews last chapter! I seriously almost fell out of my seat. You have no idea how happy your feedback makes me, or how reassuring it is when I'm having a bad day and think my writing's crap (I'm a randomly angsty person, please forgive me). To see that many people take the time to leave a review is fucking amazing. And when some of you say stuff like it's one of the best NejiHina stories you've ever read (fucking seriously?) or it's the first story you've ever bothered to review, that makes not just my day, but like my whole week. So thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you! Sorry, I'm done rambling now. ;P


	17. Love Tokens and Cancerous Toxins

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto there would be Byakuugan babies everywhere! So I guess it's not mine.

Hinata-18, 26 weeks pregnant

Neji-19

Warnings: Language, Hints of Citrus

* * *

_"To suffering there is a limit; to fearing, none."_

**-Francis Bacon**

* * *

**Chapter 16: Love Tokens and Cancerous Toxins**

"Do you trust me, Hinata?"

Opal eyes searched his out, a little startled, brow creased in confusion. "Of c-course, Neji."

He already knew the answer, but he'd wanted, _needed_ to hear her say it anyway. "Good." He brushed her lips with his. "Stop me the second you're uncomfortable."

The creases deepened. "Wha-"

He sealed her mouth with his own, keeping the question from ever being asked. The kiss was deep, deeper than anything she had initiated yet, but he didn't maul her mouth her the way he had that first night. He monitored her reactions carefully, felt the initial tensing against the contact before she began to slowly kiss back, spreading a fire of warmth through his chest. One arm stayed firmly around her waist as the other lifted to weave fingers through indigo locks, giving the softest of tugs to tilt her head up, allowing him the access he desired.

Pulling back slowly, breath intermingling tantalizingly, he looked carefully into the eyes so like his own and yet so different. They were nervous and a little uncertain, but they were clear, letting him know she was still very much with him. And they weren't afraid.

Holding on to this knowledge, he joined their lips again, this time letting his tongue slide up along hers, giving a pleased hum when she parted for him. He managed to coax her tongue to play along with his, fingers massaging her scalp soothingly as he did so, whole body on alert should the situation turn sour. There was nothing. Hinata seemed hesitant in her movements, but she was a far cry from frightened. So kissing wasn't really an issue.

He pulled back once more, giving pouty lips one final lick, and smiled just a bit as she gasped sharply for the air she'd been deprived, face flushed from something other than embarrassment or shock for once. "Beautiful," he murmured, kissing a wet trail from her cheek, down to her jaw, down to her pale, inviting throat.

Tightening the grip on her waist just a fraction and carefully monitoring everything she did, he nipped the soft skin sharply, earning a small gasp. He paused for the briefest of moments to make sure she was still all right before laving his tongue over the same spot, slowly drawing it into his mouth to suck possessively.

The noises she made in response to just this small action were absolutely delicious, making him all too aware of his own throbbing arousal. _Patience_, he chanted over and over again to himself, teeth biting the skin a bit harder in distraction. The chances of things going that far tonight were slim, he knew. And this, this wasn't about him anyway. It was all about her; he was just an afterthought.

It became quickly apparent that this as well wasn't any problem for the girl practically writhing in his arms. He had also discovered her neck was rather sensitive, something to put away for later use. Making a happy little noise, he examined the already darkening spot that would be one hell of a hickey tomorrow, watching with rapt fascination the way her pulse beat frantically against the skin, listening to her panting breaths. All this from just a lovebite... He nearly groaned aloud at the possibilities of what he could do were he given free reign.

But right now he had a specific goal in mind, as much as he knew achieving that goal would pain him. Planting small chaste kisses to wherever his lips could reach, he let the hand around her waist slowly slide down, caressing the inviting swell of what he personally found to be a very nicely shaped ass, cupping it firmly. He wasn't dismayed by the initial tensing he felt, the hitch in her breath, as she adjusted to this new, more intimate touch, or the way her eyes flitted to his own uncertainly; but that was just Hinata. She was a naturally shy person, especially if she had only done all of this once (and he was beginning to suspect even that had been no more than a drunken tumble beneath the sheets), so a degree of hesitancy and worry wasn't only unsurprising, it was expected. He was waiting for that panic like the first night, that fear that had enveloped her completely.

Smashing their lips together again, his other hand fell from her hair, fingers trailing lightly down her front, over the swell of her abdomen, causing her to shiver delightfully and forcing a small groan from him despite his efforts to contain it. It was when he brought the hand back up to fondle a heavy breast that her body went so taut he was afraid she may strain something.

He froze instinctively, doing his best to properly gauge the reaction. It was quite a bit more severe than the others, but the lips against his own hadn't stopped moving. Meaning the current situation made her very apprehensive, but she was trying in her typical Hinata-way to not let it bother her, to keep it from completely overwhelming her. Meaning he was close.

The shirt the pregnant girl wore was of soft cotton material, pink in color with a sloping v-neck, giving one a decent view of her ample chest. This style allowed the boy to easily slip his hand down inside the garment, fingers sliding over impossibly soft flesh, brushing briefly over a hardened nipple...

Small hands shoved against his chest with surprising force, years of shinobi training the only thing allowing him to keep his balance rather than fall on his ass. Backing off a few steps, hands held in front of him to show he meant no harm, he said softly, evenly, "I'm sorry, Hinata. I didn't mean to upset you." The words were only partially true. He really was sorry, he never wanted to see her in any form of discomfort; but at the same time he had been attempting to make her reach her limits, even though he knew it would frighten her. He had _needed _to know.

And now that he did know, it seemed to make sense. Touching, groping even, was for the most part okay, so long as there was a layer of clothing between them. In her mind, the clothes acted as a barrier, however small, a shield to help protect her from any harm. It was likely the same reason she insisted on always wearing that damn jacket.

His mind quickly processed this along with all the other facts he had managed to gather. Hinata didn't like to be snuck up on, abruptly grabbed, or stifled. She suffered heavily from nightmares and night terrors. Physical contact was okay so long as it didn't get too intense, so long as in her subconscious mind her shield was still there, but once that was removed she panicked... It all screamed extreme stress and PTSD, he knew that, had known that for a while now.

What he hadn't been sure of up till now, was that none of her fear over the past months had a damn thing to do with _him_. Yes, he may have inadvertently triggered it at times, but it hadn't been _him_ that had scared her, _him_ that had caused her to panic. Admittedly, he had probably made her a bit nervous at first based on how he had treated her in the past, but never was she genuinely afraid of him. Now that that was clear, it seemed glaringly obvious. She let him sleep in her bed, let him chase away her nightmares, let him hold her despite her wariness of close physical contact. Even Kiba, her teammate, her friend, wasn't able to touch her as easily as he was. Thinking back on all those times he had assumed he was the problem, he could see in every instance what the real problem had been. He had startled her, his hold had been too smothering, his touch had been too much. In her current state, he as a person could easily scare her. But him as Neji... Neji could never scare her. Never had scared her.

Neji was unprepared for the effect this revelation had on him. It had always bothered him that the girl he had come to adore so much was frightened by his very presence, but it wasn't until that moment he realized just how _much_ it bothered him. Because now that he knew the truth, now that he knew she never feared him, he felt lighter, like a massive boulder had been sitting on his chest and had chosen that exact moment to crumble to dust. He felt like he could finally _breathe_. And he was all but overwhelmed by a fierce sense of possession and affection for the stuttering girl standing in front of him. He _had_ to hold her, immediately.

It was only through his iron Hyuuga willpower that he kept from throwing his arms around the small girl, crushing her in his embrace. Based on her current state of mental health, that would be a bad idea at any time, and it would be particularly disastrous to do so right after he had worked her into a near panic. Taking a deep breath through clenched teeth, forcing himself to calm the fuck down lest he hurt her, he took a slow step forward, hands still staying innocently in sight. "Hinata? Are you all right?"

Wide, lavender eyes, which until then had been blinking hard at the floor, snapped up at the sound of her name. The girl in question seemed shaken and perhaps a bit disoriented but overall in the right mind. It was likely he'd backed off in time to stop a complete breakdown, but he still felt a sharp pang of remorse at the sight. "I-I... y-yes, niisan, I'm f-f-fine. Su-sumimasen." She attempted a badly shaking smile.

"I told you to stop apologizing when you've done nothing wrong." Another small step. Even if she seemed to be all right, it wouldn't do to crowd her. Who knew by just how much she was hanging on. "If anyone should be apologizing, it's me. I gave my word to let you control how far things go and went back on it so quickly. I'm sorry."

Another step and Hinata made a desperate noise, causing him to instantly freeze and ponder backing up once more. Then, rushed, "I, no, y-you don't unders-s-stand. I-I, I w-w-_want_ to, to do things with you. W-w-what we did, I l-liked it, r-r-really. I just..." She started to bring her hands up, press her fingers together, before tearing them apart quickly to clench into fists at her sides. Her voice was so distressed, face painted by a pained look. "I-I-I'm t-trying. Really. So... p-please don't s-s-stop. If there's something you w-w-want to do... I'll try."

It felt rather like someone had just jabbed Neji straight in the solar plexus. The way she said that, so sincerely, trying so hard to be strong... It wasn't sexy, that wasn't anywhere near the word for it, but the older Hyuuga couldn't think of anything more arousing than what his cousin had just done and it was completely beyond him to fathom why. Sucking in a harsh breath, trying to fill his suddenly starved lungs with air, he knew what he craved to do. "What I really want, Hinata, is to hold you. May I?"

The request seemed to startle her if her eyes were any indication. "That... you don't need to ask that, niisan."

Another punch to the gut. The warmth he'd been feeling was an absolute burning now, and he moved as if to gather her in his arms... before freezing in place. He wasn't sure just why he needed some form of reassurance that everything really was as it seemed, but he did. That's why he stopped a few steps away from her and held his arms open, inviting. He needed her to come to him.

Hinata didn't even hesitate. As she rested her head against the taller boy's chest, she was a bit unnerved to find his heart pounding violently against his ribs, so fast and loud she feared it would break. "Niisan?" Her small hand came up to cover his chest, as if through the action she could calm the pulsing organ. "Are you all r-right?"

He was so much more than all right, he wasn't even sure how to answer.

_~To protect what's precious~_

"So he gave them to me, and I really just didn't know what to say. I mean, they really are nice, aren't they?"

Hinata looked once more at the colorful little jewelry adorning her blond friend's ears. Flowers, pink petals around a blue stone center. Very cute and absolutely perfect for Ino. "Y-yes, they are."

"I know, right? And I do love them; but when he gave them to me..." The taller girl sighed and absently twirled her long bangs around an elegant index finger, frown in place. "I mean, do they seem like the type of gift you give to just a friend?"

Pale eyes swept over the accessories once more, fingers pressing together. "Well..."

A despairing groan, and Ino's pretty face was buried in slender hands. "That's what I thought too. And when he gave them to me, he was just so _happy _in this way he gets. Shit, what do I do now?"

Hinata bit her lip, not exactly sure how a routine baby check-up had turned into consulting Ino on her love life. Not that she minded, it's just that normally the blond was more professional than this when she had a job to do. Which could only mean that this new development with her teammate was really getting to her. "You don't... feel that way for him? At all?"

Ino actually dropped the pen she'd been using to write.

"I-I just mean..." The fingers began twisting in earnest. "You don't th-th-think you could e-e-ever feel something f-for him?"

Blue eyes were wide enough to burst, like Hinata had just asked told her her hair was green. "Feel something? For Chouji?"

"W-w-well..."

"I don't even see Chouji as a guy!"

Hinata winced.

Ino bit her lip, closed her eyes, and forced a deep breath, in through her nose, out through her mouth. "No, that's not what I meant. I'm well aware Chouji's a man. I've _seen_ he's a man."

There was a moment of silence after that as Ino irritably flipped through her patient clipboard, Hinata silently counting in her mind. _One, two, three, four, five-_

Well-manicured hands froze in the process of flipping a page, and sapphire eyes blinked slowly before growing huge. "I- that came out wrong."

Hinata quickly held up a hand with a gentle smile, showing her friend she knew exactly what she had meant. She herself had been on a team with two boys, and she knew that despite all efforts, it was impossible to spend years going on missions with them and not catch a few unwanted glimpses of certain... anatomy. The same could be said for the other way around, though she was pretty sure Kiba wasn't as devastated about seeing her naked as she was him.

"All I'm saying is that Chouji... he's an amazing friend, and in that way, I love him to death. I just don't... He reminds me of a teddy bear."

Pale eyes blinked.

"C'mon, you know what I mean!" Ino stamped her foot, tone almost desperate. "The second you talk to him you realize what a sweetheart he is, soft and cuddly."

Eyebrows raised.

"And he's a really great guy, sensitive, understanding. He's gonna make some girl really happy; he's just not my type. I prefer men who are more... masculine's really not the right word, but men who are more take charge. The badboy type I guess you could say, if you want to be really cliché about it."

The Hyuuga girl had seen Ino's type. And the word the blond was looking for was 'asshole', the biggest reason none of Ino's relationships seemed to last more than a month. The blond didn't realize how lucky she was to have someone like Chouji courting her, especially with the reputation she had earned herself around the village as being easy. Though Hinata was aware her opinions were a bit biased in Chouji's favor. She and the Akimichi were actually very alike in many ways, so she knew just how hard it was for him to make any kind of move on pretty, popular Ino. And she really didn't want to see him get his heart broken.

"I'm sorry, Hinata, I shouldn't be dumping my problems on you." She fiddled with the clipboard once more, eyes now focused on her work. "Everything seems fine. The baby's healthy, you're actually starting to look healthy again, size is good for both of you, the fetus is developing normally..." She made a few marks here and there on the paper. "The baby's developing chakra flow is a little rough, but that's not all that uncommon, particularly when kekkei genkais are involved, and your baby has two. Speaking of which, have you decided what exactly you want to do about that second kekkei genkai? Remember, if you want, I can seal it away permanently while the baby's still in the womb, so there'll definitely be no way anyone finds out. The procedure's long and arduous, but there's zero risk involved. Or, of course, you can seal it away once the baby's born, permanent or temporary." Azure eyes glanced at the shy girl from over the top of the clipboard, waiting for a response.

"Ah, that..." The dark-haired girl frowned, studying the tile of the hospital floor like it was the most interesting thing she'd ever seen. "I h-h-haven't really given it m-much thought yet, gomenasai. I-I just need a little more time."

Ino snorted uncouthly. "Hey, it's your baby, Hina, take as much time as you want." Some more silence, broken only by the erratic scratching of the blond's pen, as Hinata played uncomfortably with the sleeves of her jacket. Blue eyes caught the nervous gesture, knowing what must be the cause. "So what did Neji say when you talked to him about it?"

The instant reddening of Hinata's cheeks and frantic rubbing of the abused fabric was all the answer needed.

"So are you going to tell him?"

A plump lip disappeared between teeth. "I- y-y-yes. Yes, I am. It's j-j-just..." The girl trailed off weakly, unsure of how to explain something out loud when it wasn't completely clear even in her own head. She had every intention of telling Neji about their daughter's second kekkei genkai, of discussing the different options with him, figuring everything out together, as a couple, as parents; she just hadn't done so yet. Part of it was that she and Neji had only just started their relationship, their real one at least, not long ago, and she didn't want anything too major to crop up too soon and ruin everything. There was more than enough drama in their lives as is, especially with her currently weakened state that occasionally brought up some kind of episode. The other part was just wondering whether or not she should really burden her cousin with something about her daughter. True, Neji had taken on the role of the baby's father with enthusiasm, even before they got together, but she wondered how much of that was out of his sense of responsibility towards her rather than what he really wished for. He had already done so much more than could ever be expected of him, and she didn't want to force anything more than necessary on him if she could help it.

"Whatever's going through that head of yours, stop it right now." Ino tapped her pen playfully against dark bangs. "I know that look, and if it's about Neji, just stop. I've never seen him act the way he does around you; I actually didn't even think he was capable of it. So whatever worries you have, I'm sure they're unfounded. That stuck-up bastard would give you the moon if he could."

Hinata knew her face was flaming. "Hai."

"Good." The clipboard flipped closed and was tucked safely under an arm as Ino helped Hinata down off the examining table, smiling at how big and awkward she was getting. "I'm taking my lunch now, wanna go out for a bite?"

"Ah, I can't, sorry." Hinata tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear with an apologetic smile. "I'm supposed to meet Kurenai-sensei for lunch today."

The blond chuckled lightly and couldn't resist patting her shorter friend on the head. They may have been the same age, but sometimes the things Hinata did, just the way she stood or talked while shyly averting her eyes, made her seem so much younger. Though Ino was quite aware of how dangerous the seemingly meek girl could be when it was necessary. She was a proven shinobi. "Don't let me keep you then. And, Hinata... communication is always important in a relationship. I know you're not the biggest talker, and I can only imagine how wonderful a conversationalist Neji is," -she promptly made a face- "but it is a necessary evil. Promise."

Hinata smiled.

_~To protect what's precious~_

"Neji-kun, I would be much delighted if you would join my sweet robin and myself for dinner on this glorious and youthful night."

"Dammit, Lee, I told you not to call me that in public!"

"But, Tenten, I want the world to know of our wonderful and youthful love!"

"Then get my name tattooed on your face or something, just stop calling me by that stupid petname!"

"What about when we are at home?"

"... Just stop doing it in public, Lee."

The Hyuuga prodigy watched and listened to this interaction with a barely concealed smile before turning blank white eyes on his male teammate. "Sumimasen, Lee, but tonight isn't good for me. I'm free tomorrow if, of course, your schedule permits it."

Lee managed to tear his own eyes away from the pouting girl at his side, giving Neji a hopeful look. "Tomorrow?"

"Hai."

"You're sure?"

"Hai. Hinata works three to twelve tomorrow, so I'd be forced to fend for myself anyhow."

There was the usual constrained silence that always followed whenever Hinata's name was brought up. So far as Neji could tell, his teammates still weren't sure just how to feel about his little cousin and what she had 'made' him do. Though he had had a nice long talk with them about that whole issue and had attempted to place the blame evenly on both Hinata and himself. A nice long awkward, embarrassing, and downright painful talk.

The basic outline of the conversation had gone something like:

"I understand your concern, but I assure you I am not upset with Hinata."

"You're not upset she forced you to sleep with her?"

"No. Though she may have technically ordered me to do so, I would have likely helped her anyhow. Not that I didn't value our relationship, Ten, it's just... it wasn't exactly a normal situation."

"No no, Neji, I... I understand. I still just think it's..."

"I know; but that is in the past now. We are together, really together, and I am very happy with her. Her pregnancy, accident or not and despite the situations it was conceived under, is more than welcome."

"Well... I guess as long as you're happy, Nej... Why didn't you just tell me all this in the first place?"

"..."

"Ah, right right, never mind. What was I thinking?"

That, of course, was just the meat of the whole thing, after all the fat and other undesirable substances had been cut away. In reality, it had taken well over an hour for the whole conversation to play out, and it had been constantly interjected with a 'youthful' something or other by the junior green beast who refused to be left out. In the end, things between Team Gai were a bit strained but congenial enough for them to once again continue training together. A week later, Neji was invited to join Tenten and Lee when they took a break for lunch. Two weeks later, he was asked to hang out with them afterwards and go for drinks (in their case, sharing drinks with Tenten and helping her keep anything mildly alcoholic from touching Lee's lips). Three weeks later, it was as if nothing had ever happened in the first place, and he was being invited over to Lee's apartment for a badly cooked dinner.

For some reason, he just couldn't wait to taste some slightly burned, over spiced curry again. Not that the miso eggplant Hinata made that night wasn't beyond delicious.

"Everything went all right at the appointment?"

"Hai. Ino s-said the baby's dev-velopment is coming along fine."

Neji gave a pleased hum, reaching down to scratch the cat winding between his legs behind the ears. Some more smalltalk ensued, Hinata shared her day with Neji, told him of her worries for Chouji, Neji did his best to placate her and told her about his teammates, she did the dishes while he bathed, he read his current novel of choice while she looked over a new medical scroll, and then finally, it was time for bed. The boy bit back the urge to sigh aloud. He knew what was coming.

"N-niisan, perhaps you'd be more c-c-comfortable on the c-couch."

There it was. Just like the past several nights before it. "I am fine right here, Hinata."

"B-b-but-"

"Hinata, I am not sleeping on the couch. Neither," he added quickly before the next thought could leave her lips, "are you. There is a reason I began sleeping with you in the first place if you recall."

She did recall, vividly, and she was eternally grateful for his kindness. Nonetheless, "I just... I don't want you to be kept u-u-up all night, niisan."

Warm lips pressed chastely against her hair. "I know; and I told you not to worry about it. I'm beginning to get used to it anyhow."

The girl nodded tentatively, small hands pressing together before a disapproving noise from her cousin made them rip apart quickly. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy sharing a bed with him, the arrangements were more comforting than she could express. But she was pregnant. Twenty-six weeks pregnant. And by no means did her condition come without consequences.

Apparently, Hinata's bladder had hit bankruptcy and was now working double overtime to get back in the black. Every night she was running constant trips to the bathroom, a process that got frequently more difficult because the bigger she got, the harder it was to climb in and out of bed, then find a comfortable position once more to, hopefully, sleep a little before the next toilet break. Of course, she understood that no matter how absolutely infuriating the whole thing was, it was a normal part of being pregnant and something that every woman went through. The problem was that every time she went through the arduous task of hauling her inflated form from bed, she woke Neji who was sleeping next to her. And that just really wasn't fair to the poor man who needed to get up early for duty in the mission room.

Sensing her continuing hesitancy, Neji wrapped his arms around the smaller girl, wishing that she would just be selfish every once in a while and not worry so much about everyone else's well-being. "I don't want you to have anymore nightmares, Hinata. It would upset me far more than some lost sleep. Indulge me?"

Hinata frowned and flushed, knowing he was wording it that way on purpose, making it sound like letting him sleep with her was doing _him_ a favor, rather than the other way around. Knowing that she would never say no to him when he asked for something. "I-if that's r-r-really what you want."

Slim fingers pet her hair softly. "It is."

So really, she had no choice but to let him do as he pleased, curling up behind her and draping an arm lightly over her swollen middle, as she closed her eyes with a smile. Manipulative bastard.

_~To protect what's precious~_

A cloud of smoke surrounded the ponytailed chuunin who was engrossed in the paperwork cluttering his desk. Everyone knew he was Konoha's top strategist, and as such, he was constantly busy, having ideas run by him about every little thing, responsibility dumped unceremoniously in his lap. It was troublesome was what it was, but it was also one of the few things the lazy-nin couldn't avoid. The Hokage always seemed to have ways of finding him.

Weary brown eyes glanced up from the rows upon rows of numbers, a small smile flitting across the young man's face. "Neji. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

A dark brow cocked at the question, pale eyes sharp and alert, mouth pulled in a thin line. The Hyuuga was all business at the moment and wanted to waste no time on pleasantries. "You know why I'm here, Shikamaru."

The Nara did indeed. He had been waiting for Neji to approach him ever since Hinata's birthday two weeks ago, though he was well aware the other man had been busy. Busy and thinking no doubt. "I meant what I said just as I said it."

"I know." When did Shikamaru ever not mean what he said? He was often cryptic with his words, but at the same time very precise. "You were saying her PTSD has been around longer than anyone realized. That no one noticed until she started to show signs physically. Furthermore, that must be a particularly important fact, or you never would have bothered to share it in the first place."

Shika hummed a bit, leaning back into his chair and stubbing out his cigarette half-heartedly. "Basically. Though I'm sure someone noticed."

Someone... someone who? He obviously wasn't talking about himself, and Neji knew it wasn't him the other boy meant so... A small growl started low in the base of his throat. "Don't play with me, Nara. If you know something, just tell me. I don't have time for your games."

A small frown twisted over the tanned face. "I don't know anything, Hyuuga. All I have are suspicions, nothing more. Besides... it wouldn't be my place to tell you anyway."

"You'd risk Hinata's health?"

Bored eyes flashed briefly in anger; a rare thing from the apathetic genius. "You know I wouldn't. Hinata is my friend, and if I thought she was in danger, I would do something about it." Another cancerous stick appeared from seemingly nowhere. "As it stands, everything looks pretty good to me."

Had Neji been anyone else, his teeth would have been bared. "Everything is not 'pretty good'. She-"

"I know she isn't back to normal yet. But I also know she's getting there steadily now. I'm not worried."

What the hell did that mean?

Shika sighed. "Look, Neji, there's no doubt in my mind that you'll figure everything out on your own anyway; _if_ Hinata doesn't tell you first. The only reason I know, assuming I'm right, is because I had an advantage."

The blank mask on the older boy's face slipped, leaving an expression of supreme irritation in its wake, his pride bristling at the insinuation the other brunette had just made. Shikamaru immediately sensed his mistake.

"I didn't mean I had an advantage in intelligence, Hyuuga, calm down. Troublesome, arrogant bastard." Smoke billowed around him once more. "I meant I just so happened to be at the right place at the right time to see a very important part of the puzzle."

The look on Neji's face grew even darker, more dangerous. He didn't like the way that was worded in the least. "My cousin is not a puzzle for your oversized brain to solve, Nara."

For a moment, Shikamaru just stared, surprised, before realizing how what he had said could very easily be taken as insulting. The shock was quickly followed by his usual, easy grin. "See. That's why I'm not worried."

* * *

I love writing Neji and Shikamaru together, playing mind games with each other and talking in riddles. So much fun.

I do apologize for how long this took to update. I started a new job recently and have been either super, uber busy or ridiculously exhausted. However, I will try and get the next chapter out as fast as possible, and I assure you I am still working on the story even if updates take awhile. On that note, this story is beginning to wind down towards the end now. We're not there yet, but we are getting close. I'd say around four or five more chapters, but who knows. Could be a little more, could be less. I have the plot firmly in mind, but I'm not sure yet how long it will all be once typed out. We shall see.

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	18. Substantial Secretions

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto there would be Byakuugan babies everywhere! So I guess it's not mine.

Hinata-18, 28 weeks pregnant / 18, 31 weeks pregnant

Neji-19

Warnings: Language

* * *

_A past so deep_  
_That even you could not bury if you tried_

_After all this time_  
_I never thought we'd be here_  
_Never thought we'd be here_  
_When my love for you is blind_

**-Lifehouse, _Blind_**

* * *

**Chapter 17: Substantial Secretions**

_This... this wasn't possible. She would have... she had the Byakuugan! She would have seen through it! Her kekkei genkai... she would have detected..._

_Then came the laughter. Harsh, cruel... deep... She knew she was in trouble._

_~To protect what's precious~_

Where was it, where was it, where the fucking hell was it? The near frantic girl shoved things hastily aside, pearlescent eyes scanning desperately over the room, wishing she could use her kekkei genkai to help her. Her shift at the hospital started in ten minutes, which was how long it took the pregnant Hyuuga just to walk there, and she had _promised_ Sakura she would return her scroll today. The medical scroll the pink-haired girl had allowed Hinata to borrow was very rare and had been a gift from Tsunade herself when Sakura had passed all of her evaluations and become a full-fledged medic of the highest rank. Hinata knew how important it was to her friend, and if anything had happened to it...

It couldn't have been thrown away accidentally, could it? She paled at the very thought... but no. She would never do that, not with something so valuable, and Neji was really too meticulous to throw away _anything_ without careful examination. One look at the thing would reveal it as a medical scroll, which would let him know it belonged to Hinata, which would prevent from doing much of anything with it. It was safe... wherever it was.

_Okay... okay think. Where was the last place you saw it?_

Racking her memory, all she could come up with was the time she had read the scroll. It wasn't very big, so she had studied it all in one sitting. Then she _must_ have put it somewhere safe. But when had that been...?

Suddenly feeling very stupid, where the scroll was came rushing back to her, forcing her to waddle (because yes, she had indeed reached the point where she was officially waddling now) after it. A few minutes later, she found herself in her old room in the main part of the compound, fighting through the layer of dust on her shelves, reaching up to the highest plank where she could see her prize. It was just so damn difficult to stand on your tiptoes when you were big and pregnant.

"Neechan?"

At the sound of an unexpected voice, Hinata attempted to spin around and face the intruder; only to lose her balance and watch the ground come up quickly to meet her. Bracing herself for the inevitable impact, she felt instead thin but strong arms wrap around her shoulders as her chin clacked painfully against a bony shoulder. Blinking away the lingering stars, she found her face buried in a curtain of dark hair, the shade worn by most of the Hyuuga clan.

"Geez, neechan, you're so clum... sy..."

Hinata found her footing again, stepping back to offer her sister a small smile. "I kn-know. Arigatou, imouto." The smile began to falter as she wondered why her sister looked like she'd just swallowed a bug. "H-hanabi? What's wrong?"

"You... neechan... you're huge!"

"Ah-ha... yeah..." Hinata really had no idea how she was supposed to take that, so she figured just going with it was her best option. She wasn't surprised when pale hands found their way curiously to her abdomen; in fact, she'd rather expected it. People always felt the need to touch a pregnant woman's belly, children especially. And regardless of how high and mighty her little sister tended to act, she was still a child.

As if sensing an audience, Hinata's daughter chose then to let loose an almighty kick. Poor Hanabi jumped back on instinct, Byakuugan activating in defense, like the fetus was trying to attack her, eyes clouded with shock. "What was that?" she demanded harshly. "Neechan, what's wrong with it?"

Well now that... that was just adorable. Stifling her laughter behind a hand, Hinata patted her sister's shoulder comfortingly with the other. "N-nothing's wrong with her, imouto. You know b-b-baby's k-kick. She was just s-s-saying hello."

Hanabi blinked once. Twice. And the ever-present sneer made a glorious comeback. "I _know_ that."

_Of course you did. You know everything, don't you, imouto?_

Still, the pompous expression didn't linger for very long. The younger girl was obviously too curious to keep up with her arrogant facade, Byakuugan still activated as she studied what she could see of the developing fetus. "Hey, neechan, how long until you have it?"

"Oh, about twelve weeks now."

White eyes widened to the size of dinner plates at the answer. "Twelve weeks? That's like three months! How are you this big if you've still gotta carry it for three more months?"

Clearly Hanabi hadn't been around many pregnant women. "I'll s-s-still get bigger than th-this, imouto. Not much, but some. Y-you'll see."

There was a moment of silence as Hanabi continued to stare the older girl's stomach down, though Hinata wasn't sure what _exactly_ she was looking at with such intensity. She was looking at it like she wanted to memorize every single little detail of what she was seeing.

The younger finally tore her gaze away, kekkei genkai deactivating as she did so. Shifting a bit and looking extremely uncomfortable, she asked, "What were you doing before you fell anyway?"

What was she- oh! Shit, she was definitely late for work now. Flushing a bit, she pointed to the shelf just out of her reach with a sheepish smile. "I was t-trying to reach that scroll." She knew how pathetic it sounded, for a ninja to not be able to reach something, but even standing on a chair at this point would be difficult and somewhat risky. Sure enough, Hanabi broke out in raucous laughter at the very thought. Hinata's face burned brighter.

"Wow, neechan. That's- that's really pathetic."

_How sweet._ "Would you m-m-mind getting it down for me, im-mouto?"

With a taunting smirk Hinata had become all too familiar with, the smaller girl used her chakra to climb the wall, and then, clearly just attempting to show off, the ceiling, grabbing the scroll from where she was hanging above it and dropping it into her sister's waiting hands. "There ya go, _neechan_." She released her chakra hold and flipped gracefully to the ground, landing lightly. "Feel free to ask me anytime you can't do such menial tasks on your own."

Hinata knew she was trying to goad her, but she would never give her the satisfaction of succeeding. "Thank you, imouto. Until my ch-chakra returns, I'll k-keep that in mind."

The smirk struggled to maintain its hold. "You... don't have any chakra?"

Hinata wanted to smirk herself at the sudden changes in her sister, but instead just offered a small smile as per usual. "Of c-course not. Most pregnant women lose control over their chakra because otherwise it would clash with the baby's dev-v-veloping chakra coils. Why e-else did you think I n-needed you to do such a 'm-menial task' for me?" Had the brat honestly believed she was such a poor shinobi she couldn't get to something out of her reach when she had full use of her chakra?

"Oh... right... of course."

Apparently she had. Not that it mattered much, especially since she now looked properly chastised as well as embarrassed. Hinata did an inner victory dance at the sight. "Well, imouto, it was g-g-good seeing you. I have to get to w-work now."

She was almost out the door when a hesitant voice called, "Neechan?" Turning, she was surprised to see Hanabi fiddling with the hem of her shirt, face turned away and looking very apprehensive. After a few moments of internal debate, the younger girl turned to her sister, eyes very serious. "I know about you and Neji. I mean, I know you two are..." She paused and made an odd conjoining motion with her hands, a light tinge of pink dusting her cheeks. "Y'know. _Romantically_."

It took Hinata a moment to realize the girl meant she knew Hinata and Neji were a couple. A real _couple_, not a branch house member serving the main house heiress. "Oh?"

"Yeah. You're being kinda obvious about it."

It was now Hinata's turn to blush. It quickly faded when Hanabi continued, "I'm not the only one who noticed in the family either. You... might want to be careful."

Hinata didn't need a moment this time to know exactly who and what her sister meant. She offered the girl a nod and an honest, "Thank you, Hanabi. I'll be s-sure to keep that in mind."

Hanabi's smile was small and a little wary, but still very genuine.

_~To protect what's precious~_

It was a gorgeous day out for the end of January. The sun was shining as much as was possible for that time of year, a good amount of the snow had melted away, leaving only the piles hiding here and there in the shadows, and the temperature had managed to reach nearly forty degrees. Making his way languidly down the street, late for an appointment as usual, Kakashi glanced up from his little orange book, just as he always did when he felt such a familiar chakra signature; and had to do a double-take at the scene before him. Gai was hiding in an alley, peeking out from time to time at a familiar pair of young shinobi, obviously plotting... something.

Kakashi considered fleeing while he still had the chance. Gai was his friend, but only when the sun went down and the green beast seemed to gain some semblance of his sanity back. The Gai right now was not the man he shared drinks at the bar with, it was the crazy, spandex-wearing, eyebrow freak who insisted on challenging him to ridiculous contests of youth. He had actually wondered on occasion if Gai had a split-personality disorder or if he really just enjoyed putting on an eccentric show for the village. Not that he wasn't honest to goodness eccentric, but he did have the ability to tone it down when he wanted to. Maybe it was Gai's way of dealing with some of the past things in his shinobi life? After all, Kakashi walked around with a mask on, reading porn...

None of that was really relevant at the moment, however. No, right now, Kakashi felt it his duty to try and save the poor kids from Gai's crazy antics before they became as insane as the older generation of Konoha shinobi. Especially since it was his own actions that had encouraged this mess. So with a resigned sigh, reluctantly placing his book into the safety of his pocket (he couldn't believe he was actually putting his Icha Icha away for this), he approached the 'hidden' man, bracing himself for the worst.

"Gai... what are you doing?"

Gai, who had felt the other's arrival (he was a jounin after all), didn't bother to turn around, just hissed a, **"Quick, My Eternal Rival, Hide Before they See You!"**

Kakashi's eye twitched, and he had the strongest urge to rub his temples. Yeah, Gai was in full anomalous mode. "Gai, they know you're here. You know they know you're here. They've already been suggested for the ANBU tracking unit, and they only just made jounin. Assuming Kiba doesn't smell you, which I doubt, there's no way Shino would ever miss your presence. So seriously, just leave the kids alone before Kurenai comes after you for bothering her boys."

Kakashi expected a number of reactions, and wasn't disappointed when Gai shot a petulant frown in his direction, like a child with their lollipop stolen away.** "If I remember correctly, my rival, you were also attempting to shake down young Kiba-kun for answers." **

Yes, the incident that was, at the current moment, the bane of Kakashi's existence. Because he knew it meant Gai would be that much more stubborn. "Yes, Gai, I admit I went along with and encouraged your crazy antics simply because the chance to harass the little Inuzuka was too tempting. I was wrong. Aren't you one of the people always saying I'm a bad influence?"

The green beast cocked a _prominent_ brow.

"Okay, so most people say that; but you still know better than this. If you're really so worried about Neji, why don't you just go talk to him?"

Once again, Kakashi expected a number of different reactions. Except this time, Gai chose to surprise him, dark eyes clouding a bit, looking away uncomfortably. It was _very_ unlike Gai, even when he wasn't acting screwy. "Neji... he is a very... private person. Talking to him would likely only make him pull away further."

The copy-nin found himself thrown by the change in his friend's tone. It wasn't like Gai to use that voice, not unless discussing something very serious. Something of great concern. "You really are worried about Neji."

A rather lacking smile was offered in response. "I am worried about what this situation could do to him. Right after he's finally..."

He didn't need to finish his sentence, Kakashi knew exactly what he meant. Everyone had seen the changes in Neji, starting after his fight with Naruto during the kids' first Chuunin Exams, through his rescue mission with the other rookies to retrieve Sasuke, through his promotion to chuunin then jounin, through his induction into ANBU... but none of those things could compare to the changes the Hyuuga prodigy had undergone most recently. No one had ever expected the boy to come as far as he had from the angry little teenager they had first been introduced to.

But no one had expected a certain blushing, stuttering pawn to suddenly become a queen on the board. Kakashi decided to let Gai have his fun, so long as it made him feel better. He just let out a long-suffering sigh, signaling the other that the sober, insightful moment was over. An action he nearly regretted when Gai's blinding smile returned tenfold. His poor retinas...

"**So tell me, my Rival, was your desire to 'harass' Kiba-kun of a personal nature, or was it based on the Unyouthful events that took place after the night you spent with the ever Lovely Hana-san?" **

That... was not something Kakashi wanted to remember. Ever. The 'unyouthful events', not the night before them, because that, quite frankly, had been one hell of a night. Inuzukas really were the best in bed when you wanted a rough and wild time. His visible eye fixed Gai with his patented bored look, rivaled only by that of that Naras. "I'm sorry, did you say some-"

"YOU SLEPT WITH MY SISTER, YOU FUCKING PERVERT?"

Wonderful. "See, I told you they noticed you," the pervert in question said with an eye-smile, giving his friend a half-wave and disappearing in a customary puff of smoke.

_~To protect what's precious~_

"Th-thank you so much for c-c-coming with us today, sensei. It really means a lot."

The red-eyed jounin immediately waved off the younger girl, maternal smile in place. "Don't be ridiculous, Hinata, it's my pleasure. I was flattered when you asked." It wasn't a lie, she really had been extremely pleased when her old student had brought the issue up at one of their now weekly meetings. As the time was drawing near, Hinata and Neji wanted to go out and buy all the necessary baby essentials, crib, high chair, changing table, the works. The problem was that they had no experience with such things and no one in their family they felt they could go to for advice. That was where Kurenai came in.

"You're sure you want to buy everything new?" the seasoned mother asked once again. "Chihiro's still using a lot of her baby things, but there are a few things I could give you for free. Save you the cost."

Hinata offered a smile and a small shake of her head. "Thank you for the o-o-offer sensei, but it's quite a-all right. The entire exp-pense is going on the Hyuuga clan t-tab, and we have plenty. Chichiue ins-sisted." The smile brightened a bit more at the words. It was the little gestures such as that which made her sure her father did indeed care for her; no matter what may have happened between them or what may have been said in the past. Hyuuga Hiashi was a proud man, one who would never apologize for any mistakes he had made, so she knew this was his way of saying 'I'm sorry' when it couldn't (wouldn't) be voiced out loud.

"Niisan, are you all r-right?" the girl asked, glancing slyly over her shoulder, trying to hide her smirk. Neji trailed behind the two chatting women, face as blank and serene as ever to anyone who didn't know the man; but anyone who did would have instantly seen the slight tensing around his pearlescent eyes, the stiffening in his jaw, the thinning lips. That was only, of course, if they could have dragged their eyes away from the sight of the pompous Hyuuga carting around a bouncy toddler.

"Yes, Hinata. We're doing just fine," he insisted, stubbornly ignoring the way Chihiro poked a chubby finger at his open mouth. A chubby finger wet with... with Kami only knew. Hopefully nothing more harmful than some baby drool. He didn't know how he had found himself in this predicament, but when he and his younger cousin had shown up at Kurenai's house ten minutes ago, he had suddenly found the older jounin shoving her, at the time, dozing infant into his arms, saying something about it being good for him to practice. Seeing as how he couldn't really argue with the older woman and furthermore saw no real harm in the arrangement, he silently accepted the task given to him. He had begun to regret that choice when two minutes later the child awoke... and showed him what true bundles of hell small children could be. He didn't even want to think about the damage that could be wrought should he set the girl down.

Not that he would ever voice any of these thoughts out loud. The idea of Hyuuga Neji, ANBU and prodigy of his clan not being able to do something as simple as take care of a baby was laughable. He would simply keep his cool and view this as a mission. He had done much harder things in his life, after all. It would be a piece of-

A small grunt escaped through pressed lips when a loose strand of chocolate-colored hair was clenched tightly in a small fist and _tugged _with vigor. Dammit, that was _not_ okay; why did she keep doing that? And then the monster had the audacity to _giggle _at him.

With a small grumble, the brunette begrudgingly shifted her onto his other hip, shaking his hair back behind him and out of the child's reach for the time-being. Were all children like this? And if that were the case, then could you train them in simple things, the way you could animals? For instance, he had trained his cat not to jump up onto the table by spraying it with water every time it tried. Perhaps, he could train his own daughter to learn that his hair, of all conceivable places, was _off limits_.

Hinata and Kurenai both stifled exclusively feminine laughter behind their hands, not wanting to upset the prideful male following them. It wouldn't do to have him sulking all day, after all, and both knew that's what would happen if he caught them taking amusement in his naivety of just how babies worked. It really would be good for him to get some practice in before his own arrived.

Coming to their intended destination, a store appropriately named Baby World that would carry everything they could hope to want that day, the trio plus toddler entered, immediately warranting the warm smile of the plump woman behind the counter. "Welcome," she said so cheerfully the ANBU felt a small cringe run down his spine. "Is there anything specific I could help you with today?"

Kurenai immediately swept in, telling the woman how it was the Hyuuga pair's first, drawing a lightly blushing Hinata into the conversation as they immediately began discussing cribs. Neji watched with tight lips as the shopkeeper's eyes lit up once she realized just who it was that had wandered into her store that day, though the brunette wasn't sure whether that was because she saw dollar signs where his little cousin stood or a juicy piece of premium-cut gossip to feed to the other nosy women throughout the village. Probably both. Talk about he and Hinata may have died down substantially in recent weeks, but that didn't mean it had actually died.

While the three women flitted about the store, discussing fabrics and color schemes and other things his male brain refused to even attempt comprehending, he stood off to the side a bit, bouncing the fussy child in his arms as she strained insistently to be put down. As much as he sympathized with her plight, he didn't think it wise to let her run about the store at her whim. So he just shifted her once more to the other hip and made a small shushing noise, only to be met with an unimpressed whine and... _why_ did the little demon insist on pulling his _hair_?

Fixing the child with his coldest glare, the expression quickly turned to panic when the girl's own face scrunched up, the telltale sign that he was about to be hit by the loud, wailing sobs only small children could produce. Not good!

"Please don't cry," he muttered hurriedly under his breath, bouncing the baby in earnest and praying Kurenai didn't notice he had just terrified her only child. Looking around wildly for some source of distraction, it occurred to him only then that he was in a store catering specifically to the care of young children. Making his way swiftly to the desired section of the building, he quickly crouched down in front of several rows of shelves, setting the sniffling girl onto slightly unsteady feet but keeping her in the cage of his arms. "Look," he said pointing to the shelves and watching in almost surprise as the red-eyed gaze followed the direction of his finger. "You want one?"

Though he had a feeling the child didn't completely understand his inquiry, it hardly made a bit of difference. Relief spread through him as all signs of tears immediately evaporated, quickly replaced by a wide smile and an endearing laugh. Chubby arms reached for the shelves, and Neji stood, picking her up once more as he did so. "Now you can only have one," he told her softly, inching closer to the merchandise. "Which one would you like?"

It became quickly apparent that the girl was still a year or so too young to possibly have any hope of picking out just one plushie from the wide array in front of them. Looking them over himself, he settled on a purple cat, pulling it down from the shelf and holding it up to the child in his arms for examination. "How about this one? You want the kitty?" He froze in abject horror. "Cat," he hastily corrected, as if the child even had the slightest clue what exactly was going on, let alone would pick fun at him. "I meant cat." Because Hyuuga Neji _did not_ use the word 'kitty'.

"Kiddy," the child intoned, and Neji actually had the briefest pause to wonder if she was mocking him before the plushie was firmly taken between tiny fists and a happy laugh gurgled from the smiling face. Neji didn't even realize it when his lips curved upwards.

"There you go." Wisely leading her away from the shelves of enticements while her attention was still focused, the Hyuuga chose a rather secluded spot by the cribs, crouching and again setting the child down, this time on her bottom. "Okay. We'll just play with your new _cat_ for a bit while your mother helps Hinata shop. Then I'll pay the woman for your new toy, because we couldn't possibly put it back with all the drool you're getting on it, now could we?"

The dark-haired girl just continued grinning up at him, chewing happily on a violet ear. Neji couldn't help but shudder a bit at how disgusting small children really were, what with all the fluids they constantly expelled.

The child's attention stayed on the plushie for a bit before it began to wander once more, a problem Neji remedied by taking the toy and randomly making it look like it was walking or talking, a move that would always effectively draw the girl's full concentration for several minutes before the process repeated. As time passed, Neji somehow went from crouching near the child to sitting outright on the floor, back against the store wall, with the playful toddler in his lap. It was something he never in a million years thought he would do, sit on the floor of a public place. It was terribly undignified and very unHyuuga-like, but then... he never thought he would be in this type of store to begin with, certainly not for the reasons he was.

Not that he was under the impression he would never have children (his genes were too important to the clan for the elders to ever allow that to happen), but he had always imagined the situation would be quite different. After his failed relationship with Tenten, he had been _positive_ it would be different. In honesty, Tenten had been... an experiment of sorts. She was the only female besides his (at the time) hidden crush that he felt even the slightest bit of romantic interest towards, so he had decided to give a real relationship a try. When it had become painfully apparent that no other girl would ever take his cousin's place, no matter how much he really did feel something towards them, he had made the choice to never string another girl along as he had his teammate when he couldn't truly put them first. Thus, he had expected that once he reached a certain age, the clan would arrange a marriage for him. A loveless, mutual agreement for producing offspring with strong Hyuuga genes. Offspring that he would love and train to become strong shinobi, of course, but who would mostly be raised by their mother in the old, typical clan tradition. Nothing to be happy about, but he was content enough to accept that particular fate when what he truly desired was out of reach. To be there now, in a baby store, Hinata big with _their_ child... it was beyond surreal.

Hinata bit her lip as she examined the crib one more time, nodding her final approval of the furniture, causing the store owner to positively beam. It was, after all, a very expensive piece, made from a very rich wood, the likes of which wasn't seen often in Konoha. The crib was small, perfect for the compact living space of Neji's cottage, but still cost enough to keep her father happy. She had to be sure she covered all her bases.

Sighing internally as they moved on to their next purchase, Hinata's hands came up to splay over her bloated middle, feeling the familiar mixed effects of horror at how big she was and elation at her baby growing so much, about to come out into the world. Only nine more weeks now. Nine more weeks until she could see her daughter, hold her, cuddle her. Nine more weeks until she could feed her, change her, burp her. Nine more weeks... until she would be forced to move back into the main house... until she would have to leave her daughter and Neji.

For a moment the world actually spun before her eyes. Nine weeks suddenly didn't seem to be near long enough anymore.

A warm hand fell comfortingly on her shoulder as she was met with the worried gaze of her old sensei. "Hinata, are you all right?"

Hinata looked at the older woman helplessly. She wasn't so sure herself anymore.

Several long, tedious, torturous hours later, and all of the necessary shopping was officially done. All furniture was purchased, essentials such as diaper bags and bottles were bought, and several outfits had been chosen, the women cooing over how cute the little clothes were. All that would be left to acquire when the time came were things like diapers, baby powder, food once the child was a bit bigger. Other than that, they were pretty much set.

After paying the smiling store owner a ridiculously large sum of money, Kurenai slipped away to use the restroom quickly while Hinata waddled about the store, trying to find just where her wayward cousin had slipped off to with her sensei's baby. It was times like these, she mused, the loss of her Byakuugan was particularly annoying. Normally, she would have discreetly activated the kekkei genkai and easily spotted the pair. As it was, she almost walked right past them, never having expected to find them nestled in amongst the legs of a forest of baby cribs, on the _floor_ of all places.

For a brief moment, the Hyuuga girl worried something was wrong. That, as impossible as it seemed, Neji was injured or ill, forcing him to take a seat on the ground. It was just so... not Neji.

She watched as her cousin maneuvered about a particularly sodden looking stuffed cat, making it 'walk' up Chihiro's front and then bop her playfully on the nose with its own, forcing an unsurprising peal of childish laughter in its wake. Hinata blinked in stunned silence before offering a loving smile the young man's way. This was a side of the Hyuuga genius which Neji would never want anyone else to ever see... and sadly, the term anyone included her.

Before she could be spotted, the pregnant girl backed silently away, out of the crib section and into the wracks of baby clothes behind a dividing wall. Once well out sight, she cleared her throat, called a soft but clear, "Niisan," paused another moment, and then rounded the corner once more. It didn't surprise her in the slightest that Neji was now standing, baby and toy in hand, looking as calm, proud, and blank as ever; far from the small, serene smile he'd been wearing only moments ago. Hinata hated having to hide the fact that she had witnessed such an adorable side of him, but she knew her cousin all too well. He would consider such things a weakness, and if he knew she had witnessed said weakness, he would continue to pout for the rest of the day and perhaps even longer. She would just have to keep the hidden knowledge to herself, but that's what she got for falling in love with such a proud, private person. Besides... she already got to see more of him, the true him behind all the stoic masks and arrogant facades, than anyone else could ever hope to glimpse. It was more than enough.

"Hinata," he greeted softly, face never changing expression, but eyes smiling at her in full. She could read him so well now; how had she not noticed before? "You've finished with everything?"

"Ah... h-hai." She nodded quickly, dragging her attention forcefully away from molten silver. What on earth had gotten into her today? "Sensei is just using the r-r-restroom, and then we can g-go. We agreed to have l-l-lunch before heading home if th-that's all right with you, niisan."

A small nod of his own showed his full assent to her decision, and he glided gracefully past her to make his way towards the storefront, pausing briefly so that she could waddle along next to him in a silent show of affection. One that made her chest ache. Why was she feeling like this?

The girl watched in droll amusement as Neji paid for the already worn in purple cat, Kurenai joining them and raising an eyebrow in surprise but wisely making no comment. One never knew what might offend Hyuuga Neji.

For lunch, they chose the ever simple and convenient Ichiraku's. While Kurenai ordered for her daughter, she made no move to relieve Neji of his burden, and Neji, of course, would never utter a word of complaint. Which was why he found himself sloppily trying to feed noodles into the toddler's uncooperative mouth while the two women chatted comfortably next to him, never once glancing in his direction... Exactly how had this ended up being his job again?

"Now just look at you," he sighed softly, sure no one in ear shot was paying him the slightest bit of attention. "Getting yourself all sticky." A wet napkin was diligently applied to the mess of broth and other substances on the child's face, awarded with a number of keening whines.

"Hush," he muttered, lifting the girl into his arm's and bouncing her a bit in comfort. "If you would grow up and learn to eat properly, you wouldn't have to go through that, now would you?"

She pulled his hair, though this time he rather suspected he deserved it. "Fair enough, I suppose."

"Sika!"

Neji paused in his task of freeing chocolate locks from the tiny fist's grasp at the sudden exclamation. Was she just babbling? What did 'Sika'-

"Hey, angel."

The Hyuuga genius barely managed to contain his surprise when a tan hand reached over his shoulder and patted dark curls. How in the hell had Nara managed to sneak up on him like that? Was he really that distracted by the toddler in his care? "Shikamaru," he inclined his head in acknowledgement.

Shika observed the scene in front of him with thinly veiled amusement lurking in his sleepy brown eyes. "Y'know that's normally my job."

Neji snorted lightly. "Would you like it back, Nara?"

"Naw, you look like you're doing pretty good. Wouldn't want to get in the way."

"Hn."

There was a comfortable silence as the younger genius seated himself next to Neji and the now squirming baby, though why she was squirming exactly but not trying to get down, Neji wasn't sure. Shifting her a bit and paying it no more mind, he focused all of his attention on the ponytailed chuunin, taking a moment of fully gather his thoughts.

"Her teammates. That's who you meant when you said someone noticed it earlier. Possibly from the beginning."

Shikamaru, who had shut his eyes, lazily let one slide open to observe the waiting Hyuuga. "That's right."

A small hum. "I would imagine, since you mentioned it at all, that the most prudent way for me to figure out what caused all this is to talk with them and find out when it started."

The eye fell closed once more. "Right again."

"That in turn, means finding out when exactly it started is a very important... piece." Though he truly hated to call it that, making it seem like Hinata and her condition was a puzzle. For the sake of this conversation, he would endure it.

"It would make things a lot clearer."

Neji nodded once before, "I don't suppose you would save me the hassle and just tell me yourself?"

A breathy chuckle, flash of white teeth. "I already told you, I'm not positive on any of this. All I have are suspicions."

"Coming from you, I can only imagine your suspicions are right."

"Heh, well thanks."

Neji paused for just a moment before slowly asking, "I'm still missing something big, aren't I? Something I should already see."

Shika's smile was a little wan but there all the same. "You can't see the forest for the trees..."

The Hyuuga frowned. "Generally, I find myself only saying that to unobservant buffoons."

A full out laugh. "I assure you, Hyuuga, I wasn't trying to call you stupid or unobservant. It's another advantage I just happen to have in this situation. You're too close to see the whole picture, and yet at the same time, you can't afford to step back in order to look. Be patient and let it come together. Talk with Shino and Kiba."

Sleepy brown eyes closed again, and Neji knew he would get no more out of the Nara for the time being. It was incredibly frustrating, having to take the whole thing apart piece by piece, try and work out all the little intricacies of the problem, when sitting right next to him was the person who held all the answers; but at the same time he understood where the lazy man was coming from. This was something Shikamaru had no business being a part of. The only person who should ever tell Neji what exactly had happened to start the whole problem (assuming he couldn't figure it out on his own), was Hinata herself. No one else had that right. Shikamaru knew that, and Neji respected him for his decision.

Of course, taking that into account, it also meant that whatever it was Shika knew, it was very important. Nothing life-threatening, probably not earth-shaking, but important enough that Konoha's laziest shinobi would take the time and effort to give hints and push Neji in the right direction. Meaning, even though Hinata was getting better, the Nara felt Neji really did need to find what had started all of this.

And Hinata would never 'burden' him with her problems, no matter how much he employed her. That really only left one option. Looks like he'd be paying a visit to Konoha's oddest couple.

There was a whine then, loud and keening, from the child on his lap as she struggled with vigor against the loose ring of his arms. He frowned down at her. "What's gotten into you?"

"She's tired."

Neji stared at Shikamaru like he had never heard the words before in his life. "Tired?"

Shika yawned, looking rather tired himself. "Yeah. It's past her nap time, so she's getting cranky. Hold her so she can fall asleep on you."

The older boy's response was one slow blink and a glance down at the toddler nestled comfortably in his lap. Wasn't he already doing that?

The Nara sighed, sitting up sluggishly like it was the most difficult task in the world, before grabbing the child around her middle and rearranging her. "She's a picky sleeper, so you gotta hold her the right way or she'll never give you any peace."

As soon as the position was presented to her, Neji found himself with the Sarutobi baby latched around him much in the same way he imagined a monkey would hold on. Her tiny arms were wrapped tightly around his neck, chubby legs reaching as far as they could to wrap around his chest, face buried right at the bottom of his jaw, hot breath fanning his pulse point. Well, who in the hell would have ever thought the brat would find this position most comfortable? If Shika hadn't been there, he never would have figured it out.

"She'll probably drool all over you," the lazy-nin admitted, but Neji absently waved the comment away. The child had been drooling on him all day already.

Within mere moments, crimson eyes fluttered shut, breathing slowed down and evened out, and the baby was fast asleep, becoming a dead weight in his arms. One arm holding her securely beneath her bottom, the other hand placed gently on her back, Neji allowed himself a small smile. He supposed asleep she did look rather cute... or something. He didn't use the word cute.

"Heh." Shikamaru lit a cigarette, brown eyes dancing with clear amusement and something else a bit harder to place. "You're better at that than I thought you'd be. Don't worry, you'll get used to it."

Neji would never admit out loud how much that particular compliment pleased him.

* * *

Yeah, this chapter took way too long to be posted. Then again, I did warn you last time it might take awhile. Same goes for the next chapter to come.

Still got about three or four chapters left I'd say, though that number could easily change. One or two people said they thought the story was moving too slowly... *shrug* sorry. I rather like the pace I've set, and considering the story's nearing its end that's definitely not going to change. I do apologize if its feels like it's dragging, but if I sped it up, it just wouldn't be right.

Now raise your hand if the sudden few sentence long flashback scene made you go back and search for the others because you didn't remember where it left off. That I really am sorry about.

BL00DofTheViNE, Inner Poise is great, NinjaSheik, SarahJaneTennant, nitrolead, XxPRiscillAxX, winterkaguya, Sepsis, Crimson Cataclysm, ignis'caereleus, guerrera221, Maerchen Freunde, peachy88, toni, cluekitty, cheh, athcagaluv, Athena, swk3000, Victoria Levi, TheAweOfTheBeautifullyBroken, Christian, eyes0nme19, Pinky Bulma, Death's Serenade, ShiningXSky, wickedlover-36, KibasNo1Fan, frogflower, swandreamer, annoynomous-beth, sPaRkLe-HiMe, itachi's mistress, HyuugaLegacy, whiteninja, hyuugahime, ice_queen, Inner_Sakura, hermitprincess, Magical Fox, Midori, Shadows Dancing in the Mist, DFC, Meowchan82, baby-zero, iTomo, MeeCee, Iz-Insane, nameless101, gracemis, HeartBrokenHinata, Lady Moiraina, mieuwings, hungrytiger11, Ryuudan, Royal blueKitsune, Arya May, chaosdragon82, CityLightsFallingLeaves, anon, 0xRosethornx0, Typewriters in the Attic, Aalaa, MicaChan89, Sakura Kuchiki, yumchaitea, Khopzie, Peace-Love-Yaoi, salote, xX Angel of Agony Xx, X-105 Strike, firegoat, shaky memories, quill-writer22, Amelie, Tsubasa-chan, lexc-angel, Neji For President, lovergirlalot, unyeilding reader, EmiliaMoore, New Skiea, alanabanani, Orange-Tamaki, Gwynuvere, vampireangeltigeranimechick, sillypandalover91, abortnaw22, fire19, gaara-sasusaku7, Saskie, catiescarlett, jHeyTTernallie, Jinmi, Imperial Dragon, A Mere Essence, Cptn. Suz, rao hyuga 18, SinShu, worldreminiscence, spoozy, Jessxmn, Shinimegami7, SnowWhitetiger, MaNgA. jUicE XD, Midnight Marquis, ScarletChakra, anony

Apparently some people found it annoying how I had the list of reviewers at the bottom, but I couldn't get rid of it. Since I don't reply to every review personally (because I'm a horrible, awful person) this is sort of my way of letting everyone know that I did read and appreciate their reviews. So, to make it less annoying, I simply compacted it. That being said, review for me!


	19. The Calm Before the Storm

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto there would be Byakuugan babies everywhere! So I guess it's not mine.

Hinata-18, 31 weeks pregnant

Neji-19

Warnings: Language, Citrus

* * *

_"Having a sister is like having a best friend you can't get rid of. You know whatever you do, they'll still be there."_

**-Amy Li**

* * *

**Chapter 18: The Calm Before the Storm**

The Hyuuga couple parted ways with Kurenai and Chihiro about ten minutes later, the baby waking and actually whining when her mother attempted to take her back, apparently not wanting to release her death grip on Neji's hair.

"Seems she really took a liking to you," Kurenai teased with a smirk, not surprised when the only reaction she got from the young man was a blank face and a nod before he wrapped an arm firmly around his cousin's waist and escorted her home.

The walk back was pleasant. Neji was relaxed, mind still busy with pondering Shikamaru's earlier words, Hinata was tired but pleased with the busy morning's outcome. Both were drawn from their peaceful thoughts, however, at the sight of a rather unexpected guest sitting on the steps in front of their cottage... pouting.

"H-hanabi! What are you doing here?" Hinata pulled herself from Neji's grasp, making her way as quickly as she could over to her sulking little sister.

Neji warily wondered the same thing. What _was_ the brat doing there? Hanabi had most certainly never come to visit him before, he was surprised she even knew where he lived. He wasn't going to lie and say he was particularly happy she had found out either. The farther the brat stayed from him, the better.

Said brat looked up as her sister approached and shrugged indifferently before averting her pale eyes. "I just thought I'd come visit."

Hinata seemed too surprised by the answer to do anything more than stare, but Neji had the presence of mind to scowl in her direction and ask rather bitingly, "Why?" Just what was she up to?

Immediately, the younger girl's hackles raised, ivory narrowing to slits. "I wasn't talking to _you._"

"It's _my_ home."

"It's neechan's home too. I came to see her."

Neji had a number of scathing retorts ready, really, but they all died in his throat once the girl had finished her sentence. It was Hinata's home too. Hinata and he shared a home. Together. And that made him feel rather warm inside... Kami, but he was going soft.

Hinata reacted to the statement as well, biting her lip and idly twining her fingers together. Nine more weeks...

"Well?" Hanabi snapped, not understanding the sudden silence from both older Hyuugas. "Aren't you going to invite me in?"

Neji had absolutely no intention of doing anything of the sort. If Hinata wanted her brat sister in the house, fine, but he certainly wasn't going to extend his good graces to the girl. He wasn't surprised, though, when Hinata did in fact scurry to comply, hustling Hanabi inside of the house and immediately waddling off to make her tea. Neji followed behind the two girls, still eyeing his younger cousin cautiously. There was no love lost between the two Hyuuga sisters, so for Hanabi to suddenly decide one afternoon that she wanted to visit her 'neechan'... it was odd; and Neji really wasn't sure he trusted it.

"Awfully small, isn't it, _niisan_?" the girl asked in her most annoying, taunting voice, shooting him a smug smirk over her shoulder. "Just where are you planning on putting the baby?"

Neji twitched just a bit. "That's hardly any of your concern, Hanabi-sama."

The girl chuckled softly. "Right."

The cheeky little... "Why are you here again?"

She waved a hand at him dismissively. "I told you, I came to visit neechan."

It took all of Neji's willpower to bite his cheek and keep silent, lest he say something he may regret. It may be his home, but Hanabi was, unfortunately, still a member of the Main House and likewise demanded a certain degree of respect, earned or not. Though he highly doubted the little brat would ever dare use the curse seal on him, especially in front of her elder sister, he had no doubts she would run to her father, crying about how he had been picking on her; and everyone knew what Hiashi thought of his precious little princess. Neji would be lucky to survive til morning.

"Imouto, niisan, tea's ready," came the soft voice from the next room, forcing both to unthinkingly answer like trained dogs to their master's call. Neji grudgingly took a seat at the table with the two girls, not wanting to cause a fuss or possibly upset Hinata, who seemed rather delighted by her sister's sudden appearance. And, well he had to admit (rather reluctantly) that the two did chatter on endlessly like a pair of perfectly normal siblings, even if Hanabi did constantly speak to her sister in superior tones when _she_ was the younger one. It didn't take long before Neji realized this was merely done out of habit from years of ingrained training rather than any actual malicious or haughty intentions, and though it still upset him every time... well, he could hardly judge Hanabi because of how she had treated Hinata in the past, now could he? What kind of foul hypocrite judged people for the very same sins they had once committed?

"Neechan," the younger girl said rather abruptly, fiddling absently with the teacup in her hands, "how... how exactly did you deal with it when Chichiue was... displeased with you?"

Neji stared. Hinata blinked. _What?_ "I-I... I'm sorry, imouto, w-what was that?"

The girl in question pursed her lips before looking away once more with a huffy sigh, though neither did much to thwart the bright coloring of her cheeks. "I _said_, what did you do when Chichiue was mad at you? It happened all the time."

Had he not been a branch house member and had they not been in Hinata's presence, Neji would have smacked the impudent girl for that last, unwarranted remark. How dare she? Was she particularly trying to play to Hinata's biggest weakness? And if so, why? What was she after? It only irritated him further when Hinata made no move to defend herself, just twined her fingers together in that rather pathetic way she did.

"W-well, imouto, I sup-p-ppose I simply... learned to deal with it. As you p-p-pointed out, it d-did happen rather o-often, so I came to realize that there w-w-wasn't much I could d-d-do about it anyhow. It was just... part of life." She ended with a small shrug.

After a moment to consider how depressing that must have been, never expecting anything from your own father but disappointment and disapproval, the younger girl sighed and rested her cheek against a raised fist. "Well that's really not any help."

Hinata couldn't stop the raised eyebrows. "Excuse me?" Even Neji had to admit confusion to that comment.

Another heavy sigh and the girl continued on in the same weary voice, "He blew it _way_ out of proportion. I mean, lots of people have it done, especially girls, and it's _not_ 'low-class'." She rolled her eyes as she repeated what had obviously been Hiashi's words. "I mean really, with the way he reacted you would have thought he caught me sleeping around or something." There was a minute pause before she blushed as red as her sister, shooting an apologetic glance Hinata's way. "I mean- sorry."

Hinata didn't bother to correct her that she had never really slept around, just gave an encouraging smile. "That's quite all right, imouto. What did Chichiue get upset about?"

With a droll snort, the younger girl deftly tucked her dark hair behind her ears, exposing the small diamond stud that adorned each. "I got it done last week. He saw it today during training and went completely mental. We yelled back and forth for a bit and... well, then I came here. After I told him I wasn't taking them out. I'm not a baby, and he can't control absolutely everything I do. I'm a genin now."

A long pause followed the end of her explanation. Neji, for his part, felt like his brain had just melted and then proceeded to slowly leak out through his ears. Then, before he knew what he was doing, he was chuckling. He really couldn't help it. Here he'd been, thinking the child had some elaborate plot planned out, some ulterior motive for coming to visit, _something_ devious in the very least. And in truth, she had come running to the safety of her big sister after getting into a fight with their father. Because the brat had gotten her damn ears pierced without permission. It seemed so out of place there in the Hyuuga compound because it was so... well... _normal._ He had been perfectly ready to threaten and defend on Hinata's behalf, try and safeguard her from the malicious intentions of her vile little sister and her greedy plot to overthrow Hinata's position as heiress... and really Hanabi was just a normal twelve year old girl. An incredibly spoiled twelve year old girl, yes, but a normal child all the same; and he found that at the moment, nothing could be funnier.

Hanabi immediately pouted his way. "It's not funny!" the girl demanded, sounding very much like a small child, and that only made him laugh harder. The world had obviously stopped spinning on its axis and hell had frozen over all at the same time. Why not?

After that, Hinata shooed him away and the two sisters proceeded to have what he could only imagine was a sibling bonding moment followed by some typical girltalk, if the giggles he heard were anything to go by. An hour so later Hanabi left, insisting stubbornly that she would not be taking out her new jewelry no matter what Hiashi said, and Neji secretly suspected she would win that argument in the end. Not only was the girl's stubbornness legendary, by everyone knew Hiashi could hardly ever say no to his little Hanabi.

Reaching the front door and slipping her feet back into her standard-issue shinobi sandals, the girl suddenly gasped and turned to her older sister, eyes alight. "I meant to ask and I almost forgot! What are you going to name the baby?"

There was a long pause. Both elder Hyuugas took the opportunity to give her _looks_; Hinata blinking rather ignorantly while Neji's face was more a mix of embarrassment and thoughtfulness all at once. A name?

"I've always kind of liked Himeko," the preteen continued, oblivious to the stares she was receiving. "Of course, I wanted to use it if I ever had my own daughter, but I wouldn't mind my niece having that name, I guess."

Neji cocked a brow at the suggestion. Himeko, huh? It was cute, not overly common, and rather appropriate considering he had already referred to the unborn baby as his princess. Maybe-

"A-ano, we haven't really th-thought of a n-name yet, Hanabi, but I'm afraid Himeko w-won't do," Hinata said quietly, eyes averted to the side. "It's v-very p-p-pretty, but I-I don't want anything that begins with an H."

The silence that engulfed the room afterwards was thick enough to suffocate. Neji had physically jerked in surprise upon the revelation while Hanabi looked on with a face of shock and horror, which very nearly made Hinata roll her eyes. Really, the way they were looking at her, you would have thought she'd just announced the earth was actually flat and they were all about to fall off the edge into the oblivion beyond. There was no need to be so dramatic. Finally her sister blurted, "What do you _mean_you don't want something with an H? It's _tradition_!"

Neji silently agreed. It was absolutely unheard of for a Main House member to give their child a name that didn't begin with an H. Even if, as in his father's case, they knew the child would become marked as a branch house member, they were still given a name that reflected their original status at birth. Even that bastard Hideki's illegitimate offspring were given names that began with an H. It was and always had been one of the Hyuuga's oldest customs. If Hinata broke it now, not only the elders but mostly likely her father as well would have an absolute fit.

But as usual, when Hinata was truly determined to do something, she stood firm. Giving her sister an even look, she nodded her agreement of the previous declaration before stating softly but clearly, "Some traditions, imouto, we would be better to do without." And despite the lack of force behind these words, Hanabi found she couldn't possibly begin to argue.

Exchanging polite goodbyes, Hanabi exited the small house, heading back towards the larger, main part of the compound. Hinata stood in the doorway, watching her sister go with a hand placed absently against her swollen middle, a small smile in place. Neji was surprised to find he was actually pleased with the younger girl's visit. He could stand putting up with even her presence if it gave Hinata a peaceful look like that... as long as it wasn't too often, that is.

"Ai."

A bit startled by the whispered word, Neji raised his eyebrows in Hinata's direction, trying to figure out what she meant. Was she talking about her sister? "I'm sorry?"

Hinata's dark head lowered a bit, both hands coming now to rest firmly on her rounded belly as she continued to keep her back to him. "The baby's name. I... I-I want to name her A-ai."

Neji refrained from comment, waiting for more.

"Rather cliché, I know b-but... I just... I f-f-feel it's rather fitting. This b-baby... she wasn't c-c-conceived from l-love, but..." She turned then, biting her lip and twisting her fingers together. "But it's because of her that I found you." Opal eyes looked up, locking with silver, and Neji's breath caught harshly in his throat. "She wasn't m-made from love, but she was still responsible for creating it. I want her name to reflect everything she's already given to me."

The older Hyuuga very nearly missed that last part, the roaring in his ears was so loud. How did Hinata always manage to _do_that? To take his whole world, everything he'd ever known, and turn it completely upside down with only a few sweet words. To freeze his lungs in his chest and force his heart to beat so hard he nearly cracked a rib. It was... incredibly girly. And sappy, overly romantic, downright _pathetic_; but it was all completely beyond his control.

And it was in that moment that everything became so blatantly clear to him. He would never again leave Hinata's side, nor allow anyone to take her from his. It didn't matter what obstacles came between them, what cruel things fate may decide to throw their way, she was stuck with him. If he must, he would fight her father, fight the clan, fight the whole damn world in order to keep her, whether it was in her own best interests or not, even if she didn't want him anymore. He had beaten back these impulses for years, but now... now it was too late. No backing out. He was and forever would be a willing prisoner completely under the control of the small, shy girl in front of him. And while that should terrify the part of him that was an antisocial bastard (just about all of him), it really didn't. He was exactly where he had always wanted to be; and he would never leave again.

He was surprised at the power of his subconscious, because surely that was the only thing keeping him from flinging himself forward and crushing the poor girl in a barbaric smashing of lips; but his innermost mind warned him away from that idea, knowing it would be disastrous and completely ruin the perfect moment. Instead he approached her slowly, though it was getting harder to breathe, cupping her adorable heart-shaped face in both hands and leaning in for a slow, lingering kiss. You had to start out slow with Hinata, he'd learned that, but he had to admit that his ability to keep things slow and soft was getting harder by the day. It was only by his desire to _never_ see that glazed expression of fear again that he managed to keep himself in check.

She pulled away from him with a soft whimper, the good kind for once, and a breathless, "Neji."

His arms slipped down around her waist and he buried his face into her neck so as to gain back some semblance of control, but breathing in her scent so deeply only aroused him further. He _wanted_ her. He wanted every part of her, wanted to fully and completely be with her, wanted to lay her down and fucking _worship_ her, let her know just what her words did to him when he couldn't verbally respond back. But if he did that, he would _hurt_ her, and the thought of ever harming his precious little cousin again made him absolutely sick to his stomach. He needed to be patient.

A startled squeak, one he would never admit to, left his lips when a small hand reached down and... tentatively cupped his groin...? It took the boy a moment to assure himself that, no, he was not imagining it, yes, Hinata was indeed feeling him up, and yes, even that little bit of contact felt good against his hungry organ. Now to figure out just what the hell the girl thought she was doing. "Hinata?"

"You're-" The girl was redder than could possibly be healthy as she floundered helplessly with her words. "-_erect_."

He continued to stare, face ever blank. Was she really so surprised he'd gotten hard? Yes, he did admit it was only one kiss, but still... It wasn't like he was getting a whole lot of action lately. Little Neji was easily excitable. "Yes, I am."

The girl bit her lip as she continued to rub her palm and wrap her fingers around him through his pants, making his eyes slide shut helplessly. What was she _doing_?

"Does it hurt?"

The shy whisper brought him back to full attention, and silver pearls narrowed in confusion at the question. "What?"

"When you... get hard. Does it hurt at all?"

Neji knew he was openly making a face, but he really couldn't help it. Just what on earth was she talking about? "You mean if you don't take care of it? It can be quite uncomfortable, but nothing unbearable..." He allowed his voice to trail off, mind still attempting to understand _why_ they were having this odd conversation.

The girl stared fixedly at the bulge her hand continued to tease, thinking intensely if the look on her face was anything to go by. Finally, "So if you don't... find release... it hurts?"

"Somewhat."

A small nod. "And this... this feels good?"

Well, if she was referring to the way she was touching him then, "Yes, Hinata, it feels very good."

She nodded again, firmer this time after the reassurance, but she still continued to gnaw on her abused, lower lip. "I don't want you to to be in pain..."

Neji's could do little more at first than blink. She didn't want... "It's not pain per say, Hinata, don't worry. Besides, I can take care of it." He tried to make light of the situation by adding, "It's a rather frequent occurrence, I'm afraid."

His small attempt at humor went entirely unnoticed by the still apprehensive girl, though he couldn't begin to imagine what had worried her so. Finally, she said so softly he nearly missed it, "Would... would you like me to help you?"

His cock literally jumped at the thought, startling her a bit. Licking his suddenly dry lips, the older Hyuuga grabbed the girl's hand, and pulled her the few steps into the living room, guiding her gently down to sit on the couch before kissing her soundly in response. Inside, he was doing a victory dance at the prospect of finally stepping things up a bit intimately. He'd been wanting to do this type of thing with Hinata since... well, since he was fourteen really, but there was no need to dwell on his sad teenage fantasies. Not when the real, willing thing was sitting next to him right now.

Massaging their lips together and leaning her back to sit comfortably on the couch in her very pregnant condition, the young shinobi hastily snaked a hand down and untied his robes, pushing them to the ground somewhere, and making quick work of the fastenings on his pants. Making the smallest noise in the back of his throat once his member sprang free into the cool air, he let his fingers slide around Hinata's small hand, guiding the appendage back to where it had previously been. He should have known it would surprise her to suddenly touch bare flesh.

Jerking harshly away from the kiss, taking her hand back in the process as well, the girl stared down at Neji's now bared member with a sort of wide-eyed fascination that made him think of small children when they discovered something new. A thought that he attempted to quickly dismiss before it completely ruined the mood... Not that things weren't already beginning to feel awkward, what with the way she was staring. There really wasn't anything to scrutinize so closely like that, he was of perfectly average length, width a bit thicker than most, pale, veined skin, slightly reddened head. To put it bluntly, a normal cock; but Hinata was examining the thing as if she'd never seen the like of it before, making him wonder what was wrong. "Hinata?"

Having gotten over her initial shock, the girl sat up a bit straighter, reaching a small hand slowly forward and allowing her fingertips to graze across the surface, an action quickly accompanied by a soft gasp. "It's so soft... I never would have thought..." Sure, she knew the basics of how the organ looked and worked and whatnot (she _was_ a medic), but actually seeing one on a full-grown male up close, touching it...

Neji frowned at the whispered words, pale eyes snapping up to examine her curious face. Not that he went around touching other men's genitals on a regular basis, but he was well aware that all dicks were invariably covered in smooth, soft skin. He imagined it would be somewhat uncomfortable for any female (or male) on the receiving end of a sexual encounter otherwise. Who on earth had Hinata been with that she'd come across a cock that's skin wasn't soft?

"It... it feels g-g-good if I... if I s-s-stroke it, r-right? I m-mean it will m-m-make you..."

"I'll come if you stroke it, yes." Something about this seemed a bit off... A sharp hiss left his mouth as she wrapped her fingers firmly around his aching shaft, making him clench his teeth and shut his eyes. Unfortunately, it also made his cousin pull back, fear shining clear in her own lavender irises. What on earth was wrong?

"I'm sorry! D-d-did- did I h-hurt you?"

It was around that moment that time seemed to freeze and the uneasiness Neji had been feeling jumped to a whole new level. Forget 'off', something here was very wrong. "Of course not, Hinata. Quite the opposite." Not sure of what exactly he was doing, his slim fingers wrapped once more around his little cousin's wrist, gently guiding her hand back to his still throbbing cock and closing it around himself. "You would have to squeeze excessively hard in order to harm me in this state. Just take a firm grip... then..." One solid stroke followed his instructions and inevitably caused him to shudder as well; though at least this time Hinata seemed to realize the reaction for what it was.

The barest hint of a smile flitted across her face as she repeated her actions once more and got a similar response from the normally impassive, unflappable Neji. Eyes alight with power, the girl was thrilled to realize she had found the perfect way to get around the jounin's wide array of indifferent masks.

Emboldened by her epiphany, the girl continued her ministrations, varying the speed and length of her strokes, quickly coming to realize that, though her actions warranted different reactions, Neji still thoroughly enjoyed every touch. At least that's what she gathered from his breathy little noises, clenched eyes, and rapidly beating pulse. Never before had she felt so powerful when it came to her genius older cousin.

Partially wanting to reassure herself and partially wanting to gloat just a bit, she asked softly, "N-niisan? Am I d-doing it right?"

"Mmngh... Of course you are, Hinata."

"Good," the girl sighed, genuinely relieved. "I've never done this before."

Neji's blood ran cold, all thoughts of pleasure disappearing for a moment. What did she...? "You've never what?"

"You know..." she turned red, and averted her eyes, embarrassed by the fact that she was embarrassed. "Touched... a man... there..." Here she was, stroking him, and she couldn't even say the word penis. Sometimes she really hated herself.

The older brunette attempted desperately to focus his mind on what she had just said. "You've never- ah! You've never touched a man intimately? _Never_?"

A soft giggle followed his question. "You sound s-so surprised."

Well, he _was_ surprised. How could she have not- _fuck_, that felt good. "Hinata... again. Do that again, please... Yes, like that!" All coherent thought lost, the boy let himself fall back into the couch cushions, feeling boneless, and thrust up desperately into the tight, waiting circle of the smaller girl's fist. Kami, but it had been forever since he'd been with anyone besides his hand. A little stroking and he already felt about to blow.

Hinata's opal eyes widened as she watched her blank, stoic cousin's hips move wantonly, his face pinched in pleasure, all masks and formal pretenses completely abandoned. This was... holy shit. Was this really Neji? He was so relaxed, for the first time she could remember, he didn't seem to care what he looked like, wasn't holding anything back, completely lost to her touch.

The girl was surprised to realize she wanted more. She wanted Neji to make more noises like that, to make more expressions play out across his face. She wanted him to abandon all of his intentionally built habits, all of his ingrained propriety. She wanted him to forget all of the things she knew weighed on him daily. Wanted him to forget he was a Hyuuga, forget he had been caged by his own clan, forget all the anger he had once and still felt, forget he had an unexpected child on the way, forget he had to take care of her... She wanted him to stop thinking entirely for just a bit; what amazed her was that she actually had the ability to make it happen.

"Niisan..." Their lips were only an inch apart, his hot, panting breath fanning her face. His eyes slid open, half-lidded in pleasure, and Hinata felt her heart skip a beat. He was beautiful...

The kiss was searing, hot and surprisingly rough since she of all people had initiated it. Their teeth clacked together as they invaded each other's mouths. Hinata tasted the tea they had shared not long ago, thoroughly mapped out the inside of her cousin's mouth, desperate to sample his flavor even if she didn't find it all that pleasant. Pulling back in need of air, she sucked in several large mouthfuls before moving on, trying her best to bring him the utmost pleasure she could.

Not that she had any idea how to bring pleasure to a man. Pure instinct drove her as her lips trailed a path down from his mouth to his jaw, and she remembered what he had done to her several weeks ago. Attaching her lips to his neck, she suckled gently against the salty skin, rewarded with a surprised but pleased grunt for her efforts, and unsure of what else to do continued to suck and kiss at random bits of exposed flesh. His shirt wasn't overly revealing but did nicely expose his collarbone, so she tried there next, finding quickly he seemed to enjoy that quite a bit...

Her mind whirred as she tried to think of what she should do. She had never done more with a man than that sloppy, awkward, downright horrible kiss she had shared with Kiba years ago after their one date of equally disastrous proportions. What felt good for a guy besides direct stimulation of the penis? She knew what would feel good on her, but since the chest was one of her most erroneous zones, she didn't want to consider that an option. She remembered Ino saying some men were very sensitive about the whole thing (something about it threatening their masculinity maybe?) and did not appreciate when you attempted to play with their nipples or any surrounding area...

Ino. She had heard Ino, and Sakura for that matter, talking enough that she could practically write a guide on sex-ed along with all the do's and don't's of teenage intimacy. She normally tried to block them out for the sake of her Hyuuga sanity, but their words had always managed to get through. What had they said in general was the best way to get any man off without actually sleeping with him?

Somewhere along the way, Neji had made a conscious decision not to open his eyes, too afraid this was somehow another of Kami's cruel tricks because this was... Shit, she was so soft, so perfect, her small hands running over his chest and abs, mapping out his skin- _right there_- teasing him. Soft breasts pressed against his side, he wanted to feel them, he should- _fuck_, her hands were on his balls, rolling them gently while he shamelessly let his legs fall open wider, giving her more access- _that's right, go on. _One hand reached to blindly tangle in her dark locks, her weight shifted, she... Warm, wet, "Hinata!"

Hinata remembered, more vividly than she would have liked, the in depth discussion Ino and Sakura had had about how all guys liked to receive oral, but few girls ever actually enjoyed giving it. Sakura had talked about how her jaw got tired, Ino said she had a surprisingly strong gag reflex, and Hinata had sat there, red-faced, wishing she could just sink into the floor. She also remembered when Sakura had come to Ino, saying Naruto took an almost unbearably long time to finish (something else Hinata never wanted to know) and Ino had given the ever-wise advice, "Just play with his balls, it makes a lot of guys come twice as quick." And so employing both of these methods, Hinata had hoped it would be enough to make Neji orgasm... She hadn't expected him to come nearly the moment he had touched her lips. Apparently she'd have to give both of her friends a thank you the next time she saw them.

Choking a bit, mostly from surprise, as warm liquid splashed into her waiting mouth, she jerked away from the still spasming organ, unsure of what to do. The seed on her tongue, she found, didn't taste particularly good nor bad, just sort of salty. It did, however, make her tongue start to tingle in an almost burning way the longer she let it sit there, and while it was likely normal, it bothered her a bit; so she did the only thing she could think of at the moment. She spit the stuff back out, onto Neji's white top where the rest of his release had landed. And then felt rude and foolish a moment later. Wasn't that considered insulting? "G-gomenasai."

Neji was flying. He always loved that moment after orgasm, when you're completely sated and don't give a damn about sex or anything pertaining to it; you just want to sit back, relax, and slowly come down from your high. Once his heartbeat had slowed a bit, he cracked ivory eyes open to watch Hinata making the most adorable disgusted face and spit what was left of his seed back onto him, flushing red shortly thereafter and apologizing. So cute. And she... Kami, he couldn't believe she had done that. As horrified as he was at how quickly he had come, he knew at least part of that was due simply to the fact that she had even_considered_ taking him into her mouth. Or at least the head of him, since he hadn't given her the chance to possibly do anything more. But just the shock of his shy, little cousin attempting oral at all, the fact that she had wanted to do it for him when he hadn't even asked, was really what sent him over the edge.

The very least he could was return the favor.

"Hinata..." Ignoring the mess on his stomach, he leaned over her where she was sitting, briefly resting his cheek against her distended belly, planting a soft kiss there before moving up to assault her pale, inviting throat. It didn't take long until she was making those soft, mewling noises that drove him absolutely crazy, so he let his hands begin to wander, starting with safer territory like her arms and stomach, slowly moving closer and closer to her breasts. She stiffened up a bit, as expected, but soon became lost in the sensations and relaxed beneath him completely. Until she felt his hand begin to creep down beneath the waistband of her pants.

Immediately tensing what had to be every muscle in her body, one hand flew to grab his wrist and the other pushed on his chest, demanding he back up and look at her.

"Hinata?"

"Wh-what are you d-d-doing?"

He chuckled slightly at just how innocent she was, leaning in to peck her lips. Wasn't it rather obvious? "I just want to make you feel good, like you did for me." Then, in case she got the wrong idea, he quickly added, "Just my hands and mouth."

He leaned in again to continue his efforts when he heard her practically whimper, "P-p-please... p-please don't t-t-touch me."

The boy froze instantly, afraid he had once again triggered her still healing PTSD with his lack of consideration and forethought, and he cursed himself to hell and back for it (how could he have forgotten about her shield?); but it wasn't until he looked into her eyes that his blood turned to ice.

Hinata wasn't having a panic attack or a flashback of any sort. Her eyes weren't clouded, reliving a past trauma. She was there, and coherent, completely aware of her surroundings... and completely terrified.

Terrified of him.

He felt himself go so cold he shivered. He didn't understand... how could she be so afraid of him? "Hinata? What's wrong?"

"Please." The girl trembled a bit, and it took every ounce of his willpower not to reach out and hold her. "Just d-d-don't t-touch me that way."

'That' way? As in... sexually? Just what on earth was going on? Trying to keep his confusion and own apprehension from showing on his face, he softly assured her, "I would never hurt you, Hinata."

Apparently, that was the wrong thing to say. The terrified girl began shaking her head in earnest, eyes beginning to moisten with unshed tears. "P-p-p-please! Please don't! Y-you said, y-y-you said that I-I-I could control how f-far we go! P-please... niisan..."

"Okay, it's okay." He wrapped his arms tightly around the violently shaking frame, not thinking about the possible consequences of such a sudden action. "Everything's okay." He was surprised when she leaned into his hold rather than fight to get away. She wasn't afraid of his touch... only sex...

The entire world jerked to an abrupt, sickening stop. _No... that isn't possible. She... she would have told me._

"N-niisan?" She looked up at him with rounded eyes, clearly still nervous, still afraid.

His vision tunneled, seeing nothing but those eyes. She would have _told him_.

"Niisan, a-are you a-a-angry?"

Neji's arms tightened fiercely around the girl's thin shoulders. There was no way. He must be mistaken. "Of course not."

Surely she would have told him. She would never keep something like that a secret... not from him...

He tried to ignore the way his hands shook nearly as much as hers.

* * *

Okay, okay I know. This took way too long to get out and you hate me now. I understand; but I have a good excuse, I swear! I not only moved, but I moved to an entirely different country and started a new job. Plus, it took forever because I kept rewriting things because I hate the way my intimate scenes always turn out. Not that this particular intimate scene was meant to hot and steamy (I was actually going for mildly arousing, yet at the same time awkward) but I still hate it. I just finally reached the point where I said "screw it" and decided I needed to post.

Now, notes on the Hyuuga name system: I made it up. The thing with the H that is, but it seemed plausible enough to me. Also, Himeko means "princess child" and Ai means "love", so I hope that scene doesn't confuse anyone.

As you can see, Neji's definitely began to catch on at the end there. Next chapter is when things really get moving.

BL00DofTheViNE, Inner Poise is great, NinjaSheik, SarahJaneTennant, nitrolead, XxPRiscillAxX, winterkaguya, Sepsis, Crimson Cataclysm, ignis'caereleus, guerrera221, Maerchen Freunde, peachy88, toni, cluekitty, cheh, athcagaluv, Athena, swk3000, Victoria Levi, TheAweOfTheBeautifullyBroken, Christian, eyes0nme19, Pinky Bulma, Death's Serenade, ShiningXSky, wickedlover-36, KibasNo1Fan, frogflower, swandreamer, annoynomous-beth, sPaRkLe-HiMe, itachi's mistress, HyuugaLegacy, whiteninja, hyuugahime, ice_queen, Inner_Sakura, hermitprincess, Magical Fox, Midori, Shadows Dancing in the Mist, DFC, Meowchan82, baby-zero, iTomo, MeeCee, Iz-Insane, nameless101, gracemis, HeartBrokenHinata, Lady Moiraina, mieuwings, hungrytiger11, Ryuudan, Royal blueKitsune, Arya May, chaosdragon82, CityLightsFallingLeaves, anon, 0xRosethornx0, Typewriters in the Attic, Aalaa, MicaChan89, Sakura Kuchiki, yumchaitea, Khopzie, Peace-Love-Yaoi, salote, xX Angel of Agony Xx, X-105 Strike, firegoat, shaky memories, quill-writer22, Amelie, Tsubasa-chan, lexc-angel, Neji For President, lovergirlalot, unyeilding reader, EmiliaMoore, New Skiea, alanabanani, Orange-Tamaki, Gwynuvere, vampireangeltigeranimechick, sillypandalover91, abortnaw22, fire19, gaara-sasusaku7, Saskie, catiescarlett, jHeyTTernallie, Jinmi, Imperial Dragon, A Mere Essence, Cptn. Suz, rao hyuga 18, SinShu, worldreminiscence, spoozy, Jessxmn, Shinimegami7, SnowWhitetiger, MaNgA. jUicE XD, Midnight Marquis, ScarletChakra, anony, TuffChick, Bikami, KakashiisWifey, Reinakai, Anime Writer2, Stacey. and. stars, Catastrophic Monsoon, seto'swifey, IYAddict.x3, fireworkmage, Master Solo, Sqidly, ANIME HIME69, Vika, Felix02, senbo-sama, lovingo0Kawaii0oGirl, alwaysNaruHina, JamKa, LilBlueBear, Peach-chu, Eru no Tsubasa, Dark, FallingSnowDream, Soraya the All Speaker, Reviewer

To answer Reviewer's question, I never withhold my chapters for reviews. If it takes me a long time to update, it's only because real life is getting in the way. However, reviews do inspire me and encourage me to write faster. That being said, review for me!


	20. Pork Ramen

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto there would be Byakuugan babies everywhere! So I guess it's not mine.

Hinata-18, 35 weeks pregnant

Neji-19

Warnings: Language

* * *

_"The truth is rarely pure and never simple."_

**-Oscar Wilde**

* * *

**Chapter 19: Pork Ramen**

A pen scratched across paper as the long-haired man signed yet another document. So much paperwork... Like he didn't have other, more pressing things he should be working on.

Like the fact that his eldest daughter was getting steadily closer to her due date, and neither she nor his nephew had yet to approach him with their plans for afterwards.

It irked him on several levels that he was being left in the dark. First and foremost, he was the head of their clan. Proper procedure dictate that he be kept at least mildly informed on the health and welfare of_all_ expecting women within the Hyuuga clan. Hinata was one of three at the moment, and yet he knew more about the other two faceless branch house members and their pregnancies than he did his own daughter's. And that, on a more personal level, was the other reason he found himself so annoyed. He was Hinata's _father, _dammit, and yet she apparently didn't feel the need to keep him properly up to date with the comings and goings of her life. Admittedly, that might have a bit to do with the fact that up until the last year or so he never would have really listened... but that was all in the past. They had a much better relationship now, spoke civilly with one another, he acknowledged her talents even if they weren't quite what he would have wished for, and he tried to show he was genuinely interested in her affairs. He just wasn't exactly what you might call adept with emotions; but he _was_ trying.

Maybe he wasn't trying hard enough.

The slightest shake of long, silvering hair pushed such thoughts forcefully to the back of his mind. Now was not the time for pondering doubts and self-incriminations. Not only were clan affairs piling up, but he had bigger fish to fry than his daughter's obvious avoidance, and most of it likely involved her.

Hideki was on the move. Again. The man was like a weed, no matter how many times he was yanked from the ground he continued to grow back, bigger, stronger, more resilient; and Hiashi could never seem to reach deep enough in the dirt to find his roots.

Regardless, the man was being much more subtle in his movements this time, just little things; the occasional, seemingly innocent comment here, the sly, 'concerned' question there. All of it carefully planned out to plant the first seeds of doubt into the minds of not only the elders, but the entire Main House. Doubt on whether or not Hinata had the capability to correctly lead their clan.

He'd done similar things before, of course. He was the driving force behind challenging Hinata's status several months prior, convincing the rest of the elders to test her strength in a fight with her younger sister, knowing full well the girl could not fight, hoping he would force her into losing her position by dishonorable removal. Had it not been for Neji's interference, he may very well have won that day.

But Hiashi was onto him this time; and he would not allow him to win. Hinata was exactly what the Hyuuga clan needed. She would bring about the changes he himself had begun to set in motion but lacked the resolve to follow through on. She would be the wisest head the clan had ever seen, the first to truly care about what was best for her people, to have the understanding and compassion necessary for being a good leader. Hanabi, with her fiery spirit and boisterous attitude would make an excellent aid to her, would be the fighting force of the clan at her sister's will. And at Hinata's right hand, she would always have her silent protector, ready to give his life at a moment's notice, showing all that she need not be the strongest in the clan to lead; she need only command the respect of the strongest.

And it was this train of thought that led him to his second most prominent problem at the moment... Just how the hell long did those two brats plan on waiting before asking his permission to marry?

_~To protect what's precious~_

Small hands lovingly put the finishing touches on the top of the boxed lunch, the responsible party smiling a bit at her handiwork. Chicken and egg soboro over steamed rice. Nothing fancy, though Neji had never once complained about anything she'd made before. She'd put a little fresh fruit on the side for variety anyway.

Starting to hum softly as she was prone to do when engaged in such tasks, Hinata's thoughts drifted into the future, wondering if in a few years she would be doing this for her daughter. Packing a lunch, putting fun designs and bright colors within the food like so many did for children. Handing it to her and sending her off to the academy with a kiss goodbye each morning, giving a reassuring smile if the small girl should look back. Being there, should work permit, when the child returned home with stories of her day, making dinner as she listened before night came and she tucked the little one into bed, ready to start all over the next morning...

Or would she be in an entirely different part of the compound, lucky to see her daughter once or twice a week, let alone each day. Relying on Neji and the women of the branch house to raise her child without her. To take care of her baby because clan politics wouldn't allow her to do so herself.

Pearly teeth snuck out to worry a reddened bottom lip, opal eyes going distant with apprehension. Hinata hated thinking about these things. She'd much rather live life day by day, taking any problems that arose in stride and simply going with the flow, leaving little room for concerns and doubts. Adopting the attitude of 'whatever happens, happens'.

Unfortunately, it wasn't only her life she needed to consider any longer, and there wasn't a snowball's chance in hell she was going to be so lax when it came to the well-being of her daughter. She was due in just a few weeks now, and she needed to truly do some serious thinking, having plan after plan laid out for when the time came before it was too late. And she still needed to speak with Neji. Time was truly beginning to run out.

Shutting her eyes momentarily in an attempt to quell the nervous tremors threatening to overtake her, the girl released a few deep breaths before moving diligently to clean up the kitchen like most other mornings. Tonight. She had the entire day off from work, Neji was done at six, and she would make a particularly nice dinner for the two of them. Then they would talk, about everything from future plans to the second kekkei genkai she had yet to inform him of. She would-

"Ow!" Nearly dropping the knife in her grip, the girl's free hand flew up to clutch at her protruding abdomen, face contorted into a pained grimace. That had _hurt_. She didn't know what it was, but for a moment it felt like someone was sticking her with a pin from the inside. Not a pleasant experience.

"Something wrong?"

Turning to see Neji striding in from the living room, dressed and ready for the day, she offered him a small smile and shook her head. "N-no, I think I just pulled a m-muscle or a cramp or... I don't even know anymore."

He chuckled warmly, or at least as warmly as Neji was capable of (ingrained habit always made his laughter sound a bit snide), wrapping his arms around her from behind and pressing his lips chastely to the base of her throat. "Don't worry, your body will be back to normal soon, and you'll be going on missions with your team again before you know it."

Of that she was all too aware; and at the moment, it seemed like both a blessing and a curse. "You'll be h-home for d-dinner tonight, r-r-right?"

"Hm? Yes, I'll be back. I do need to stop by somewhere after my shift's done, but it won't take long."

"All right." She pressed her fingers together uncertainly, not even remembering right then how much he hated the nervous action. "W-w-we... we need to t-talk."

"Oh?" His eyes sought out hers, searching warily for any signs of trouble. "All right then. We'll talk when I get home."

The timid girl nodded, relieved to feel like she had finally gotten the ball rolling, a bit of the weight on her shoulders lifting away. _Tonight. Everything will be taken care of tonight._

___~To protect what's precious~_  


_Byakuugan locking onto the figure approaching from behind, Hinata simultaneously flung a kunai and whirled around, instinctively crouching low into the jyuuken fighting stance. She barely had time to make out the dark-haired older man before he was charging her, engaging her boldly in hand-to-hand combat, something most were hesitant to do when faced with a Hyuuga._

_Her assailant's recklessness actually startling her, the Hyuuga heiress managed to get in a few good jabs, rendering the man's right arm practically useless before his left hand locked around her wrist and..._

_Hinata stared at the stone ceiling above in utter shock. What... what had just happened? How had she ended up on the ground? Why couldn't she move, why... why in Kami's name couldn't she _blink_?_

_A movement at her side and she found herself staring unwillingly into a pair of crazed, dark eyes. Chapped lips split into a maniacal grin, forcing what should have been a handsome face into a fearsome mask of depravity, and another harsh laugh forced itself from the man's throat. "Well, aren't you a pretty thing. Must be the best catch I've had yet."_

_Hinata had never been more terrified in her life._

___~To protect what's precious~_  


Pigs! Men were pigs who just happened to walk upright, wear clothes, and maintain the ability to utter a few more syllables than their four-legged counterparts! They should all just go wallow in the mud!

A gorgeous blond, dressed to kill in a brand new, far from modest dress and nearly five inch heels stomped through the center of Konoha's main street, face twisted into a picture of rage. How dare that lousy bastard... She had agreed to dinner with him, that didn't mean... She wasn't...

Stopping abruptly in her trek, never having had any true destination to begin with, all the anger faded away, leaving Ino feeling acutely depressed. Why did this always happen? Yes her shirts might be a bit low, her skirts a bit short, and she did have a tendency for flirting... but she had honestly never... She had definitely never even hinted that she would be so quick to go to _that_.

With a loud sigh she shivered a bit, realizing that in her haste to leave her latest date at the restaurant she had also forgone retrieving her coat. Oh well, she had plenty of others at home. Right now, besides the slightly sickening hollow feeling in her stomach, she was also quite ravenous, having skipped lunch earlier and been denied dinner just then. Since she was already out, why not just stop by Ichiraku's for some ramen. Not the diet kind either, no. A night like this called for mass consumption of unhealthy, fattening foods to cheer her up. Even she could indulge occasionally.

Entering the small establishment with its array of familiar smells and sounds, Ino couldn't quite decide if she was pleased or disappointed to see Lee and Tenten already eating there. Yes of course she always enjoyed their company, but lately they had been such a damn happy couple... Watching them making googoo eyes at each other might not be the best thing for her that particular night. But then Lee spotted her and greeted her with the type of enthusiasm only Lee could possibly muster, and she knew she was stuck.

Plastering a wide smile onto her face, she approached and took the seat next to the junior green beast, tossing her long hair back over one shoulder. "Hey, guys. What's up?"

"Ino!" Lee exclaimed, eyes alight, "I must say, your youth is at its fullest this fine evening. You look absolutely stunning!"

He was so fricking sincere she actually felt a blush spread across her cheeks. At least her carefully done makeup and fancy hairstyle had earned her one genuine compliment that night. "Thanks, Lee."

"So what are you all dolled up for?" Tenten asked in droll amusement.

Ino made a disgusted noise in the back of her throat, eyes narrowing just at the memory. "Date gone wrong. Ayame-san! One order of the deluxe, extra everything!"

Tenten did her best not to smirk. "Must have gone very wrong."

"You have no idea."

They chatted comfortably from there about a number of different things, Ino informing the pair about the latest gossip around the village; who was sleeping with who, who was cheating on who, who was marrying who, who was divorcing who, who- "Ah! Did you know Ichizu Haruka is pregnant?"

"Speaking of pregnancies," Tenten said slowly, carefully choosing her words, "how is Hinata doing? The baby's due pretty soon, right?"

"Five weeks," Ino confirmed with a proud smile. "Everything's going great, and I know she's anxious to finally have it. Neji must be excited too."

Tenten made a bit of a wry face. "Surprisingly, yes."

A well-manicured hand was waved absently. "Nah, he really likes Hinata. It's not all that surprising even if-" She froze then, chopsticks halfway to her painted lips, eyes widening in panic as she realized what she had nearly let slip. Thank Kami she had-

That line of thought immediately died when she saw the suspicious gleam in her brunette friend's eyes. Shit, maybe she had said too much anyway. "I mean..."

"You know the truth too."

Blinking in surprise, all Ino could do was offer a jerky nod. "Neji told you guys?"

Tenten sighed and leaned against the counter, looking tired. "Yeah, he told us what really happened. You know... the orders and all that."

Ino felt a small frown pull at her lips. Orders? "No. I don't know."

_~To protect what's precious~_

Neji paused outside the gates of the Aburame compound, brow furrowed a bit in contemplation. Unlike the Hyuuga compound, the Aburames had never felt the need to post guards at the gate, but somehow just walking in uninvited seemed terribly rude. Then again, what else was he expected to do? He couldn't very well knock, there was no one around to hear him, severely limiting his options at the moment.

Paranoid ninja senses on full alert, he crossed the threshold of the main gate, pausing for just a moment to be sure he hadn't set off some sort of insect burglar alarm, before giving himself a shake and continuing towards his final destination. It's not like this was his first time visiting the place (even if all the other times Hinata or Kiba and Shino themselves had been by his side), he really needed to calm down. He was friends with Shino and Kiba too, he was sure they would always welcome him. He supposed he was just jumpy from keyed up nerves. For the past several weeks, all he'd been able to think about was this impending conversation.

Approaching the familiar house and knocking stoutly on the door, he supposed he shouldn't be too surprised when it was answered moments later by a dripping wet Inuzuka wearing only a loose towel threatening to fall down his waist. Huh. Neji had the distinct impression that were he so inclined he would be quite appreciative.

"Neji, hey!"

"Inuzuka," he greeted with a stiff nod. His muscles were so taut he was nearly shaking. "There is something of great importance I wish to discuss with you. May I come in?"

"Yeah, 'course."

Stepping back to allow the older boy through the door, Kiba led him to the living room, ushering him into a seat and politely offering him a drink, making Neji think, in amusement, that Shino had trained his dog well. Speaking of Shino, "So where's your better half?"

"Right here!"

Again, Neji really shouldn't have been surprised when the one small scrap of material saving the man's dignity was ripped away and flung unceremoniously across the room, leaving a certain something completely exposed at an uncomfortable proximity to his face. Lovely. This was far closer than he'd ever wanted to be to Inuzuka Kiba's naked genitals.

He fixed said anatomy with his best Hyuuga glare. "Put it away, mutt, unless you want to be neutered."

Kiba huffed a bit and muttered, "Geez, it's just a joke," then added in a lower tone something about a 'stick' and Neji's 'ass'. Like the Hyuuga had never heard that one before.

"I _do_ have something of actual value to discuss with you, Inuzuka."

"Yeah yeah, I know, calm down." Kiba wrapped the towel round his waist once more, securely this time, before giving the older jounin a solemn look. "What's up?"

Pale eyes glanced curiously about the room. "I was serious before when I asked about your better half. Where's Shino?"

"Hm? Bug-boy's on a mission." Kiba scratched his ear absently. "Left yesterday."

"You just got back yesterday!" The pair had been away for several weeks, the reason he had needed to put this off for so long.

"I know, bummer, right? We were gonna... y'know, spend some time together." A feral grin spread across his tanned face. "_Quality_ time."

Neji grimaced. "You don't need to paint a picture for me, puppy." In fact, he rather hoped he didn't.

"Yeah, well we get back and less'n an hour later his dad comes and wants him to do some special Aburame thing. So he goes off'n does that, and I can't even come 'cuz I don't got bugs crawling beneath my skin."

What a nice image.

"So yeah, he's not here. I even had to train with my cousins today, no one else around. Hinata-chan's all big and pregnant, bug-boy left me to do family stuff, you're working, Naruto's busy doin' some special training _again_, Chouji's out of the village, Shikamaru's too fuckin' lazy, Sai kinda creeps me out when we're alone-"

Was he planning on giving Neji the rundown on the entire 'Konoha twelve'?

"- training with Lee might just kill me, I think maybe Tenten's still a little mad at me-"

Why yes, apparently he was. "Inuzuka, you're going off topic."

Brown eyes blinked in surprise, almost as though he'd forgotten he had an audience at all. "Ah, sorry sorry. I do that sometimes."

Shocking.

"But yeah, Shino ain't here. Did you still wanna-"

"Kiddy!"

Neji felt the small hairs on the back of his neck stand up at the delighted squeal from somewhere off to his left. Oh, the little brat hadn't just-

"Chihiro! How did you get in here?" Kiba demanded, taking a step towards the errant child. Before he could get too close, of course, she had already toddled over to where Neji was seated, giving him a smile full of small baby teeth and chubby cheeks, tiny arms held out in expectation. How exactly could he refuse?

"I wasn't aware you were babysitting, mutt. You took a shower while you were meant to be watching her?" He diligently shifted the small bundle into a comfortable position on his lap, the ghost of a smile crossing his lips when he saw the familiar purple cat tucked snugly into her side.

"Well yeah, but I was disgusting from training, and she was in the damn playpen. She shouldn'ta gotten out!"

The Hyuuga couldn't stop his smug smirk. "And yet she did."

"S'not my fault that- Wait. Did she just call you 'kitty'?"

A flush threatened to take over his face. "Obviously she was referring to her toy."

"It _looked_ like she was obviously referring to _you_."

Oh yes, a distraction was badly needed. "I wonder how Kurenai-san would react to knowing that had her daughter executed the Amazing Playpen Escape only a minute sooner she would have been granted a very early lesson in the finer points of male anatomy."

Kiba went white so fast Neji feared for a moment he would faint. Gotcha. "That- that's stupid. So what if she had seen, s'only natural. No reason to be ashamed of the human body. 'Sides, she's too little to remember properly anyway."

"Yes. I'm sure Kurenai-san would agree." Success. "Now, I needed to speak with you about something important. About Hinata."

"Hina-chan? Why? Somethin' wrong?"

Good, he finally had the Inuzuka's undivided attention on the matter at hand. As much as he would have liked to talk with the more observant Shino about Hinata's behavior and all it entailed, he was sure even Kiba must have noticed the changes in his little cousin. They were _teammates_ after all, even Lee had the ability to see when something was off with one of his teammates. "That, Inuzuka, is precisely what I am trying to determine."

Kiba gave the other boy a long, searching look before slowly taking the chair across from his, hands clasped lightly between his knees, which were spread a bit more than was strictly decent given his attire. "I'm listenin', Hyuuga."

Neji nodded curtly in response, wanting to speak but finding his voice refused to work. He made a show of rearranging the toddler in his lap once more, trying to buy time and force his hammering heart out of his throat. He _needed_ to have this conversation, to find out what was going on with his most precious person. He needed to help her as best he could, and in order to do that, he needed to get some answers; but even he had to admit he was terrified of what those answers may be.

_Suck it up_, the voice in his head hissed with no trace of patience. _This is for Hinata. It doesn't matter how unpleasant it may be for you_.

Well, that was the truth. "I am... worried about certain behavior she has been displaying lately." He paused. "No, perhaps lately isn't the correct term. In fact, it's been going on for quite some time now."

"You mean the way she's been pullin' away when people touch her and jumpin' at her own damn shadow," Kiba deadpanned, and Neji felt a small glimmer of hope. Inuzuka had indeed noticed the odd behavior. This could easily be a successful outing, he just had to be sure not to share too much personal information with his cousin's teammate. Depending on what he said and whether or not it got back to her, she may just be angry enough to smother him in his sleep.

"Yes, that. I was wondering if perhaps you noticed when exactly it all started." Wondering, praying, same difference.

The dog-nin snorted derisively, giving the Hyuuga a bit of a glare. "'Course I noticed. Was about eight months ago, maybe a little more..." His face scrunched up in careful contemplation, all too obviously thinking hard. "Okay, so I can't remember the exact day, but I _do_ remember it was right after that one mission we had to the Rogue Line. The one where she took out that missing-nin an' got all that recognition for it." He paused, giving the older boy a quick once over. "You _did_ hear about that, right? I mean, I know you two weren't exactly friends at the time-"

"I know which mission you're talking about, Inuzuka, calm down. On friendly terms or not, it was rather difficult to _not_ hear about it, seeing as how she is the heiress of my clan and it was a much celebrated event."

Kiba most definitely glared that time, followed by an over-exaggerated chest puffing, and Neji knew he was about to get an earful even before it happened. He really needed to choose his words more carefully.

"Yeah it was celebrated, it _deserved_ to be," the brunette started in, adept by now at defending his female team member. "That guy was S-class, seriously bad news, and she's just a chuunin. The fact that she was able to take'm out without even gettin' a scratch was amazing!"

As the implications of what the younger jounin had just said fully sunk in, Neji began to feel his pulse beat so hard he could hear it in his ears. It _couldn't_ be.

_~To protect what's precious~_

"Damn."

Hinata scowled, rifling once more through the refrigerator, irritation climbing steadily higher. She was _sure_ she had bought some eggplant only a few days ago. Where on earth had it gotten to?

Teeth sneaking out to gnaw on a familiar bottom lip, the girl contemplated her options, frown growing heavier by the moment. She could always cook something else, but she didn't _want_ to. Eggplant was one of Neji's favorites, and she wanted something really nice done for him before they had their unavoidable discussion. Then there was the choice of popping down to the Main House kitchens where she had no doubt there were plenty of said vegetable in stock; but again, she'd really rather not. She had begun to grow a sense of... independence, she supposed, since moving in with Neji, and she found she was quite fond of it. Going down to get food from the family kitchens now, in anything short of an emergency, just felt wrong. Especially since doing so was a privilege usually reserved for Main House members, and she was cooking for a member of the branch house. It just didn't mesh.

_I'll just have to go out and get some more. There's still time._

Decision made, the girl slipped into her familiar lavender and beige jacket, snorting at how the once baggy material now just barely fit over her middle, and then wincing only a second later at the sharp pain that attacked that very part of her body. Fuck, but she hated that. It had been happening on and off all day, making her especially glad it was her day off. Maybe she ought to get it checked... Though she was sure it was nothing, possibly even false labor pains or something, and if it didn't let up by tomorrow, she would go to see Ino. It was uncomfortable and annoying, that was all.

Scratching the purring cat by the door and double checking to be sure she had money on her, the girl slipped out into the slowly darkening evening, expecting to stop by the market quickly and be back long before her cousin ever got home.

* * *

Okay, first of all, some more notes about the baby's name. Yes, I am aware Ai is not a very common name and that other variants, such as Aiko, are much more common. I picked Ai _anyway_ for two reasons. One, though not used often, it is used sometimes, and I actually have a friend named Ai who is just the sweetest girl in the world and in a way I named the baby after her for fun. And two, I _like_ the fact that it isn't common. I hate common names, I would never give my own child a name that a ton of other people had. I like being different. So the baby's name is Ai. Deal with it.

Now I must apologize for the long delay in between updates, because apparently this story hasn't been updated since October? Wow, it doesn't feel nearly that long to me, and I was actually shocked when I looked at the dates and saw that just today. So I am sorry, and I'll try my best to make the next update quicker.

As for the story... well, shit's about to hit the proverbial fan, isn't it? The real question is, will it even matter? And I will leave you all to ponder that.

BL00DofTheViNE, Inner Poise is great, NinjaSheik, SarahJaneTennant, nitrolead, XxPRiscillAxX, winterkaguya, Sepsis, Crimson Cataclysm, ignis'caereleus, guerrera221, Maerchen Freunde, peachy88, toni, cluekitty, cheh, athcagaluv, Athena, swk3000, Victoria Levi, TheAweOfTheBeautifullyBroken, Christian, eyes0nme19, Pinky Bulma, Death's Serenade, ShiningXSky, wickedlover-36, KibasNo1Fan, frogflower, swandreamer, annoynomous-beth, sPaRkLe-HiMe, itachi's mistress, HyuugaLegacy, whiteninja, hyuugahime, ice_queen, Inner_Sakura, hermitprincess, Magical Fox, Midori, Shadows Dancing in the Mist, DFC, Meowchan82, baby-zero, iTomo, MeeCee, Iz-Insane, nameless101, gracemis, HeartBrokenHinata, Lady Moiraina, mieuwings, hungrytiger11, Ryuudan, Royal blueKitsune, Arya May, chaosdragon82, CityLightsFallingLeaves, anon, 0xRosethornx0, Typewriters in the Attic, Aalaa, MicaChan89, Sakura Kuchiki, yumchaitea, Khopzie, Peace-Love-Yaoi, salote, xX Angel of Agony Xx, X-105 Strike, firegoat, shaky memories, quill-writer22, Amelie, Tsubasa-chan, lexc-angel, Neji For President, lovergirlalot, unyeilding reader, EmiliaMoore, New Skiea, alanabanani, Orange-Tamaki, Gwynuvere, vampireangeltigeranimechick, sillypandalover91, abortnaw22, fire19, gaara-sasusaku7, Saskie, catiescarlett, jHeyTTernallie, Jinmi, Imperial Dragon, A Mere Essence, Cptn. Suz, rao hyuga 18, SinShu, worldreminiscence, spoozy, Jessxmn, Shinimegami7, SnowWhitetiger, MaNgA. jUicE XD, Midnight Marquis, ScarletChakra, anony, TuffChick, Bikami, KakashiisWifey, Reinakai, Anime Writer2, Stacey. and. stars, Catastrophic Monsoon, seto'swifey, IYAddict.x3, fireworkmage, Master Solo, Sqidly, ANIME HIME69, Vika, Felix02, senbo-sama, lovingo0Kawaii0oGirl, alwaysNaruHina, JamKa, LilBlueBear, Peach-chu, Eru no Tsubasa, Dark, FallingSnowDream, Soraya the All Speaker, Reviewer, Chai Mol, houen, you make me chuckle, Finally, oombala, Kannebas, Black Diamond07, J, Were-Tiger94, Midnight Wolfy, Willow-Bee the Cat, Sykopaths, Sarralyyn, Writing. Esperance, CrazyAce'n'PokerFace, LittleZmogTheCrimsonMooMoo, Kiame, Dark Moon Maiden, panda, Mimi-sama, K.a.R.a. Nature., Sprytes, NewSkiea

And now I must go get ready for the Superbowl, because the Steelers made it and it's like a fucking holiday around here. Seriously, it's crazy. Leave me some reviews that I can drunkenly read to make me happy later on!


	21. Abdominal Cramps

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto there would be Byakuugan babies everywhere! So I guess it's not mine.

Hinata-18, 35 weeks pregnant

Neji-19

Warnings: Language, mild blood

* * *

_"All persons are puzzles until at last we find in some word or act the key to the man, to the woman; straightway all their past words and actions lie in light before us"_

**-Ralph Waldo Emerson**

* * *

**Chapter 20: Abdominal Cramps**

Though neither one of them would ever dare admit even in the privacy of their own minds (let alone aloud) Hyuuga Neji and Hanabi were actually very much alike in many ways (including their explosive tempers, probably the biggest reason they couldn't cordially stand one another for longer than a minute). For starters they both displayed many of the more common Hyuuga traits in abundance, such as being prideful and, quite often, arrogant. They both held themselves with the same air of confidence, sure of themselves in nearly everything they did, and they always seemed able to do just about everything well. Unless, of course, you counted getting along with other people. That was habitually a failure on both their parts.

And like Neji, who had managed to outgrow some of his less than pleasant tendencies, especially where others were concerned, Hanabi was slowly beginning to do the same herself. Lately, the teammates she used to look upon with undisguised disdain had begun to grow on her. And while she still thought of Kaoru as annoying and immature and Masato as weak and a bit lazy... well, maybe they weren't truly all that bad. In fact, maybe her expanding tolerance towards them could someday morph into something more. Maybe she could someday come to_ like_ them.

Maybe they could even be her first real friends.

That being said, it wasn't a surprise that when Kaoru had decided to get her ears pierced not long ago and invited Hanabi to do the same, the young Hyuuga had barely even hesitated. It had nothing to do with the piercings themselves, she neither liked nor disliked the little pieces of decoration, it was just the fact that someone had asked her to do something with them. _Her_. She had been invited to do some fairly intimate bonding with someone her age who, quite frankly, she was pretty sure was a bit afraid of her. Never before had anything of the sort happened. Of course she wasn't taking the damn things out.

Not that she had bothered to explain any of that to her father, but really... If she said she wasn't going to do something, then she wasn't going to do it. He should _know_ that by now.

"Hey, how about we get something to eat?" Masato piped up suddenly, turning to the two girls with raised brows. "Ramen. My treat."

As Kaoru nodded her enthusiasm at the idea, Hanabi merely shrugged, an action her teammates had learned to decipher as a definite positive answer. After all, it wasn't only them growing on her.

Walking up to Ichiraku's, the three young genin all paused, staring with wide eyes at the scene before them. Two older chuunin, both of whom Hanabi recognized as friends of her sister and cousin, one of them Neji's teammate even, were arguing... to put it mildly. More it was like they were yelling, screaming at each other, attracting quite a bit of attention from passerby, and would very likely have escalated things to physical violence had a very green young man not been standing resolutely between them, begging both fruitlessly to calm down. Or at least lower their voices. Because everyone in the near vicinity heard it loud and clear when the brunette of the pair snapped, "It had nothing to do with them liking each other! He slept with Hinata when she _ordered_ him to!"

Hanabi didn't need to hear anything more than that. She saw red. "That's not true!"

Any retort Tenten may have had died immediately, seeing as how it hadn't been Ino who had answered her accusation. Swiveling around and scanning the (she winced) small crowd that had gathered, her gaze finally landed on a flushed face framing white eyes. Which earned another cringe.

Hanabi honestly didn't have a clue what was going on, but she was far from stupid. That bun-haired girl who was on Neji's team had just seriously insulted her sister. What's more, she had a feeling the previously mentioned 'he' was, in fact, Neji himself. Which just made the whole statement all the more ridiculous. Hinata _order_ Neji? To do anything? To do... _that_?

Clenching her fists repeatedly, brows drawing down sharply in anger, the small girl insisted once more, "That's not true at all! Hinata isn't like that!"

Tenten glanced around, almost as if looking for a way out, before sighing a bit. Despite any ill will she might currently be feeling towards the girl, she had never meant for Hinata's little sister to hear that. She did her best to ignore the guilt gnawing insistently at her stomach. "Look, kid—"

"No, you look!" Hanabi's chest heaved with the intensity of her anger. How dare this stupid bitch? How dare she say things like that about Hinata? How _dare_ she! "Hinata would never do something like that! _Never_! And she would never do anything to hurt Neji!" She felt her body begin to quake, muscles tensing beyond their usual limit. Why on earth did this bother her so much? "Hinata's one of the nicest people in the whole world! She's too nice to do something like that to anyone! Especially not him! She— she _cares_ for him! And he cares about her too, even if he is a jerk, I know he does! Just..." Her voice softened as she swallowed convulsively, trying desperately to reign herself in. "Just look at how happy he makes her."

A soft hand on her shoulder and Masato's gentle, "Calm down, Hanabi," were enough for her to grasp the remaining threads of her anger and keep ahold of it. He was right, she shouldn't have flown off the handle like that. She was a _Hyuuga, _dammit.

As if she needed another reminder of this last statement, the girl suddenly felt a very... ominous presence appear directly behind her, forcing her to shudder a bit when her teammate's warm hand fell away. What—

"Well now, what do we have here? Causing a scene in the middle of the street? Such disgraceful behavior."

That voice. Shit, that voice was—

"_What_, pray tell, do you have to say for yourself, Hanabi-sama?"

Fuck, it was _Hideki_. Deep breaths. She had to take slow, deep breaths, school her face into its usual sneer, couldn't let the man see how much he unnerved her—

"Hey, she didn't do anything wrong!" a voice suddenly cried as Kaoru shouldered her way to stand beside the shorter girl. "She was just defending her sister!"

_Oh, for the love of—_ Hanabi wanted to tell the other girl to just _shut up_, that this wasn't any of her business, it was clan affairs, but... well, it felt nice the way her teammate had immediately jumped to her defense. In fact, despite the rather dire situation, it nearly made her smile.

"Ah yes, another matter of precedence," the man purred, clearly paying no mind to the brash genin. "I couldn't... help but overhear a few very interesting things." His gaze lingered on the very uncomfortable-looking Ino and Tenten for a brief moment before drilling holes into the back of a dark head once more. "Very enlightening things. Perhaps you could clear up a few misconceptions for me, Hanabi-sama? Since you seem to know about the situation with your dear _sister_ so well."

Hanabi didn't need to turn around. She didn't need to look into Hideki's cold eyes of frost. She didn't need to see the terrifying, triumphant smile stretched obscenely across his face. She still didn't know just what the hell was going on; but she knew somehow, for some reason, Hinata was in trouble.

_~To protect what's precious~_

"Okay... all right, so it was after that mission. What... what exactly do you remember, Inuzuka? _Exactly_."

Kiba frowned, giving Neji a long look. He didn't know what, but something here was obviously wrong. The Hyuuga was starting to get really agitated, and even more than that, he was actually _showing_ it. Outwardly. That in itself was enough to set the dog-nin on alert.

"Well, at first everything was fine, though Hinata was actin' kinda weird. We sealed the guy's body up in a scroll, brought it back, turned it in to the Hokage, all the usual stuff. Hinata was fine. Then..." He got a pained look on his face as the memories began to come towards the surface. "Things just started feelin'... off. First of all, unless we were training or practically begged her it kinda felt like... like Hinata was avoiding us, y'know? And then, she started with this whole 'no touching' thing." He paused to contemplate his words. "I mean, she never actually _said_ anything like that, but..."

A small pout stole across his features. "Hina-chan used to hug us, like, all the time, and then one day... it just stopped. We didn't know what was goin' on. Then... then it just got _worse_. If we went to touch her, I mean at all, she would sorta... go all stiff and pull away. We tried to get her to go see someone, but she just kept sayin' she was fine."

Neji eyed him carefully. "You didn't agree."

The look Kiba gave him in answer made him feel about as bright as an earthworm. "Well, I dunno, Hyuuga, I kinda thought she was sufferin' from PTSD or a type of delayed stress syndrome, but you're much smarter'n me. Tell me, oh wise one, what would you call it when a fairly tactile person suddenly couldn't stand basic human contact without flinchin'? When their stutter, a nervous habit that was almost gone, suddenly got worse'n it ever was?"

"I wasn't trying to argue, Inuzuka." Neji meant for the words to have some bite, but really he just sounded... tired. "What is the worst instance you can recall?"

"You mean her worst reaction? Well, one time..." Kiba bit his lip nearly hard enough to draw blood. "One time when I came up behind her, went to put my arms around her, just hug her like I've always done... She _screamed_." Here he barked out a bitter laugh, looking like he may very well start to cry. "She screamed because of me and jumped away, kinda curling in on herself... Neji," brown eyes sought out ivory beseechingly, "what the hell's wrong with Hinata-chan? It has to be really bad because... why hasn't this gone away?"

_Because besides the trauma of the incident itself, she's been carrying around a constant reminder for nearly nine months._

There was a long silence, Neji too afraid that if he opened his mouth he would lose his lunch all over the floor to answer. It fit. Everything fit so fucking perfectly, and he wished to Kami it didn't; but it fit.

Neji had found the last piece of the puzzle.

_~To protect what's precious~_

A bag with several nicely ripened specimens of eggplant hit the alley floor, the pregnant teen's hands flying up to frantically clutch her abdomen.

_Maybe coming out wasn't such a good idea after all._

Sucking in a slow, deep breath, Hinata blinked impatiently to dispel the water in her eyes, previous purchase now lying forgotten on the ground. Both arms had come up to wrap snugly around her middle, waiting until the current wave of pain passed, though it hadn't escaped her notice that it was beginning to take longer each time. She'd gone from thinking it was nothing, to thinking it might be real labor pains, until... The time for being stubborn was over. Something was_ wrong_, and she needed to get to the hospital.

Now if only she could make it there...

_~To protect what's precious~_

An irate brunette stomped away from the ramen stand, away from Ino, and, consequently, away from Lee as well, seeing as how he had made no move to follow her but was trying to placate the tall blond instead. Fuck it, she didn't care anymore. What did she care if Neji was being used, if he was being lied to, or if he had lied once again to her. What did she care if her juvenile and completely uncalled for fight with the Yamanaka in the middle of a public street had rather obviously stirred up some kind of trouble within the Hyuuga clan. What did she care if one of her oldest and best friends was in trouble. She didn't. She didn't care anymore. She was done.

A smaller figure came stumbling blindly out of an alley, colliding harshly with the seething kunoichi and nearly sending them both to the ground. Spinning on the spot to snap at whoever had gotten in her way, Tenten nearly saw red when brown eyes landed on the very last person she wanted to see right then.

"Hinata." The nearly violent urge to ask, no demand, that the younger girl explain just what the _hell_ was really going on down to the very last detail swelled up inside her. She wanted to know which version of the truth was real, the one she and Lee had been told or the one Ino had insisted upon, if either. She wanted to know, were the latter the case, why she and Lee had been so blatantly lied to. She wanted to know so many things she couldn't even work it all out properly in her mind... but mostly she just wanted to know that Neji was really okay with whatever the fuck was going on. That was the most important...

She bit the impulse to ask down even as the questions formed on the tip of her tongue. No. She was done getting involved in all this sneaky, deceitful bullshit. If the damn Hyuugas wanted to keep their secrets so bad let them. She was done.

"Ten... Tenten." The bun-haired girl startled a bit when two small hands whipped out to clutch at her forearms, thin fingers digging painfully into the skin. What on earth—

"Tenten, help... p-p-please..."

_Oh... shit_. Hinata... looked horrible. She was bent over nearly double, skin whiter than snow, whole frame trembling badly while she fought to stay upright. This was... "Hinata— Hinata, what is it?" Tenten's heart suddenly skipped several horrible beats. "Is... it the baby?"

"Yes... please—"

The next second Hinata's arm was slung across the older girl's shoulders, a strong appendage was wrapped around her waist, and she was being hustled down the street as fast as Tenten could manage to half help, half carry her. She panted desperately through the exertion of it all. "T... T-t-t—"

"Don't worry, Hinata, everything's going to be okay," the brunette said, and despite the near-panicked expression on her face, her words came out strong and confident, reassuring the smaller raven. Maybe everything would be okay. It still hurt, and she was still terrified beyond all reason for her baby's safety, but maybe... yeah... yeah...

"Lee!" Brown eyes scanned frantically as the pair pushed through the people in their way, wishing they would get a clue that something was wrong and just move... That was the problem living in a shinobi village, everyone became so used to seeing injured or exhausted ninja being supported by their comrades, much like this, that they became desensitized to it...

Tenten winced as someone jostled hard into her side, and she tightened her grip on her charge, afraid she might let go and leave the girl to fall. She knew it couldn't be good to drag her around like this, but she also knew time was of the essence. "Lee!"

"Tenten?"

There, still near the ramen stand and still with Ino who was already dashing over in her ridiculously over-done outfit, hands flying through the signs of a medical jutsu. Tenten shifted her grip and hoisted Hinata up into a slightly more erect position to give Ino better access to her abdomen, muscles straining all the while. She didn't at all like the unnatural pallor nor the look of horror that slowly twisted the blond's face right before she snapped, "Hospital!"

"Lee!" Tenten barked in turn, and without needing further instruction the junior green beast did what his girlfriend had been unable to manage, scooping the pregnant girl up into his arms with ease and taking off through the evening crowd at full shinobi speed.

After only half a second to catch her breath, Tenten followed, Ino doing the same after pausing to remove her heels. From up ahead they could vaguely hear Hinata stuttering something absurd about how she was too heavy for Lee to carry while he politely reassured her in his typical way. Tenten thought rather inappropriately for the situation how cute the little Hyuuga really was. "Ino, what's going on? What's wrong?"

The blond shook her head, loose strands flying about her face, complicated knot having finally given way to gravity. "Something's wrong with the baby, but... I don't know."

The brunette's head whipped around, brows scrunching in disbelief. "You don't know? What do you mean you don't know?"

Ino shook her head once more but never answered as the hospital came into sight. "Lee!" she yelled as loudly as she could, still trying to just keep up with his incredible pace, "take her directly to the third floor! Don't let anyone stop you!"

"Hai!" As expected, Lee did just that, bursting through the front doors with such force they nearly flew off their hinges, barreling down the hallways at breakneck speed, literally mowing down two orderlies who made an attempt to stop him and yelling an apology back over his shoulder. The two girls behind attempted to keep up, Ino shouting at someone to get Tsunade immediately. Then they came to the third floor and Lee paused, looking around him uncertainly and shooting the blond an anxious glance.

Ino flew past him and began doling out orders, several nurses and other medics scurrying to comply, and the door to an empty room was shoved open. "Lee, set her down on the bed!"

Doing as directed and stepping back, Lee's eyes widened to the size of saucers at what greeted him. Not only was the image of Hinata, with her face devoid of any color, hair plastered to her forehead with sweat, mouth twisted into a grimace, and beautiful lavender eyes glazed with pain enough to scare ten years off his life, but, "Blood. Ino, there is blood. On— Ino!"

The medic turned from where she had been rummaging through the cabinets of the room, gathering things she would need, and her own eyes turned frantic at the sight. Time seemed to freeze and no one moved. The side of Lee's hideous jumpsuit had blotches where the color had darkened, and when you then looked to the girl on the bed, lying on the white sheets... white sheets slowly beginning to stain with red...

Hinata jerked from the bed with a heart-wrenching cry, writhing for a moment before becoming still once more, breathing labored. It was more than enough to break the spell and Ino continued getting the necessary tools, demanding once more to know where Tsunade was, though her voice had gone up a pitch and her screaming seemed less controlled.

Tenten, not knowing what the hell she was doing but feeling she needed to do it, had leapt forward towards the bed and taken Hinata's clammy hand into her own. Maybe she shouldn't have been surprised when the small girl clutched at her desperately like a lifeline, but she was. Opal eyes bright with unshed tears sought hers beseechingly, and the girl mumbled something that made absolutely no sense whatsoever, clearly delirious from the pain and shock of whatever was happening but clearly needing someone there. Someone... Tenten reached out with her free hand to gently pet her hair. "Lee... Lee, go find Neji. Bring him here."

Lee blinked slowly, coming out of his own stupor, before registering his girlfriend's words and nodding, dark eyes set in clear determination. He was gone the next second, off to find their missing teammate, and Tenten continued trying to comfort the girl on the bed, patting her and speaking softly.

Ino was suddenly there again, hands doing another scan. Again she shook her head. "I don't understand. I don't— I've never _seen_ anything like this!"

"The blood... she's... Is it a miscarri—"

"No, that's not it. There's... I don't _know_! There's something wrong with the chakra flow around the baby. It's... spiking and ripping the area apart."

"Not just that time of the month then?" Tenten said shakily, not sure where the pathetic attempt at a joke had come from but needing to say something to keep her cool. Spiking chakra ripping the area apart from the inside... She felt sick. "What— how can you fix it?"

Ino didn't look her way. She didn't have an answer.

* * *

Okay, so this chapter's much shorter than a lot of them, but at least I got it out a little quicker. Life's busy and all that.

Anywho, now Neji's knows the truth for sure, but that's the least of Hinata's worries. You'll have to stop back next time to see how everything plays out.

BL00DofTheViNE, Inner Poise is great, NinjaSheik, SarahJaneTennant, nitrolead, XxPRiscillAxX, winterkaguya, Sepsis, Crimson Cataclysm, ignis'caereleus, guerrera221, Maerchen Freunde, peachy88, toni, cluekitty, cheh, athcagaluv, Athena, swk3000, Victoria Levi, TheAweOfTheBeautifullyBroken, Christian, eyes0nme19, Pinky Bulma, Death's Serenade, ShiningXSky, wickedlover-36, KibasNo1Fan, frogflower, swandreamer, annoynomous-beth, sPaRkLe-HiMe, itachi's mistress, HyuugaLegacy, whiteninja, hyuugahime, ice_queen, Inner_Sakura, hermitprincess, Magical Fox, Midori, Shadows Dancing in the Mist, DFC, Meowchan82, baby-zero, iTomo, MeeCee, Iz-Insane, nameless101, gracemis, HeartBrokenHinata, Lady Moiraina, mieuwings, hungrytiger11, Ryuudan, Royal blueKitsune, Arya May, chaosdragon82, CityLightsFallingLeaves, anon, 0xRosethornx0, Typewriters in the Attic, Aalaa, MicaChan89, Sakura Kuchiki, yumchaitea, Khopzie, Peace-Love-Yaoi, salote, xX Angel of Agony Xx, X-105 Strike, firegoat, shaky memories, quill-writer22, Amelie, Tsubasa-chan, lexc-angel, Neji For President, lovergirlalot, unyeilding reader, EmiliaMoore, New Skiea, alanabanani, Orange-Tamaki, Gwynuvere, vampireangeltigeranimechick, sillypandalover91, abortnaw22, fire19, gaara-sasusaku7, Saskie, catiescarlett, jHeyTTernallie, Jinmi, Imperial Dragon, A Mere Essence, Cptn. Suz, rao hyuga 18, SinShu, worldreminiscence, spoozy, Jessxmn, Shinimegami7, SnowWhitetiger, MaNgA. jUicE XD, Midnight Marquis, ScarletChakra, anony, TuffChick, Bikami, KakashiisWifey, Reinakai, Anime Writer2, Stacey. and. stars, Catastrophic Monsoon, seto'swifey, IYAddict.x3, fireworkmage, Master Solo, Sqidly, ANIME HIME69, Vika, Felix02, senbo-sama, lovingo0Kawaii0oGirl, alwaysNaruHina, JamKa, LilBlueBear, Peach-chu, Eru no Tsubasa, Dark, FallingSnowDream, Soraya the All Speaker, Reviewer, Chai Mol, houen, you make me chuckle, Finally, oombala, Kannebas, Black Diamond07, J, Were-Tiger94, Midnight Wolfy, Willow-Bee the Cat, Sykopaths, Sarralyyn, Writing. Esperance, CrazyAce'n'PokerFace, LittleZmogTheCrimsonMooMoo, Kiame, Dark Moon Maiden, panda, Mimi-sama, K.a.R.a. Nature., Sprytes, NewSkiea, GermanRaspberries, Zetsubel, twist'd saccharines, Saphira113, TheLuciferPerson, AndYourPointIs, l lawleit, Aqsa D

Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Leave me a review and let me know what you think!


	22. Don't Blink

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto there would be Byakuugan babies everywhere! So I guess it's not mine.

Hinata-18, 35 weeks pregnant

Neji-19

Warnings: Language, mild blood, non-con

**Additional Warning:** I say again; this chapter contains** non-con**, i.e. non-consensual sexual content. It's not especially graphic, but it is somewhat vivid. I need it that way to better explain the situation unfortunately. Therefore, if non-con bothers you or if you fear it may act as a trigger, **please skip the flashback scenes!** That's everything written in _italics_. This is the only warning I will give, and I don't want to receive any complaints later that you didn't know. Thank you.

* * *

_'Til all my sleeves are stained red_  
_From all the truth that I've said _  
_Come by it honestly I swear _  
_Thought you saw me wink, no _  
_I've been on the brink, so _

_Tell me what you want to hear _  
_Something that'll light those ears _  
_Sick of all the insincere _  
_So I'm gonna give all my secrets away_

**-One Republic, _Secrets_**

* * *

**Chapter 21: Don't Blink**

There was no one home. The cottage house Neji shared with his cousin was empty, save the cat, and dinner wasn't made. Hinata's sandals were gone from next to the door and her coat wasn't hanging on the hook. She had apparently gone out; and that was odd. She was always there when he got back unless she had work, and never had she failed to prepare a meal for him. Neji felt the first tendrils of worry creep up on him, but refused to allow them reign. There was likely a perfectly reasonable explanation.

_Like there was a perfectly reasonable explanation for her PTSD._

The young man swallowed hard, willing the voice in his head to be silent. He didn't— he didn't want to think about that right now. He just wanted to see Hinata. Wanted to hold her. Wanted to keep her safe...

_Why didn't she _tell_ me?_

He tried not to dwell on how differently he would have done things had he known. The night of her birthday he had practically forced himself on her for Kami's sake, had purposely pushed her to the edge of her limits, using _intimacy_ of all things. He didn't know, he had just assumed it was physical contact... If he had known the truth he never would have...

_Why didn't I see it earlier?_

Several deep breaths later he turned to leave. No point in staying there when the person he sought was clearly elsewhere. He could always wait for her to come back, normally that's what he would have done, but right then... right then he just wanted to find her. Immediately.

"Neji!"

The voice was far from Hinata's soft, placid call, but it was familiar all the same. "Hanabi-sama." The girl who had always resembled himself more than her sister was running towards him at full speed, drawing the attention of several other branch members as she dashed past their small abodes toward the most isolated house at the end. He raised an eyebrow curiously, wondering what had the brat so flustered. "Can I help you with something?"

"Is neechan home?" the child asked breathlessly, frowning when the response was in the negative. "Neji, we have to do something. Hinata's in trouble."

Instantly the jounin was on full alert, the proverbial guard dog with ears perked and teeth bared. "Explain."

What followed next was a storm of rushed nonsense about Tenten and a blond girl, Hanabi yelling at them in the street, Hideki, someone named Kaoru, and finally Hideki's ultimate master plan to have Hinata stripped of her status because of him somehow... "And they're in a meeting right now, trying to get Hinata demoted to the branch house. Do something!"

Neji stared. He had heard everything that was said, but... What on earth? "The elders had you testify at the meeting?"

"Yes!"

"Testify to _what_ exactly?"

Hanabi paused before turning a very bright shade of red, eyes averting in embarrassment. "I... don't know why, but they were talking about you and her and the baby. They asked if you were her consort."

This could be bad. "And?"

"I didn't know what to say because I didn't know what was going on, so I told the truth."

Ivory eyes narrowed. "The truth?"

"That you two are together!" she snapped, hands balling into fists at her side in frustration. "Hinata would never make someone— y'know." The blush deepened. "And that's what I said!"

This was most likely bad. Hanabi had basically told them the exact opposite of what they heard in the beginning. Who knew how Hideki would manage to twist this or find some ancient Hyuuga clan law against it. Neji needed to find Hinata and get her to that meeting, fast. He could feel everything out from there, once he discovered just what it was Hideki was trying to pull.

"NEJI!"

Hanabi blinked at the blur of green approaching them. "What's that?"

How in the hell did Lee manage to get inside the compound? Having his crazy teammate start trouble within clan lands was _not_ something he needed right then. "Lee, I don't know what you're doing here but—" He was cut off when a firm hand clamped down on his arm.

"Neji, you must come immediately! Hinata is in danger!"

What? The prodigy looked quickly between his little cousin and friend, thoroughly confused by now. How did Lee know about clan affairs? "Where did you—"

"No, Neji, you must come _now_!"

Before he even had time to think about reacting, Neji was being swung up and hoisted over his teammate's broad shoulder like a sack of rice and Lee was running with full speed back towards the compound gates. Neji stared blankly for a moment at the ground as it whizzed by before, "Lee, put me down _now_! I mean it, I will attack you!"

"There is no time! I must bring you to the hospital immediately!"

The words rang loudly in Neji's ears. Wriggling a bit in the taller boy's grasp and then sending a swift jyuuken strike to the back of his thigh, the two went tumbling unceremoniously to the ground, Neji doing a backwards somersault before landing lightly on his feet in a crouch, Lee going down smack on his green behind. Breathing hard, the two stared at each other until the Hyuuga finally said in a deceptively calm voice, "Now, tell me. What is all this about a hospital?"

Lee's eyes widened to nearly impossible proportions. "Hinata is in the hospital. There is something wrong with the baby."

"The baby?"

"There was— she was in pain, and Ino said to take her to the hospital. Then there was blood, and, Neji, you must go to her!"

"Neji, what the hell are you doing?" a panting Hanabi demanded, finally catching up to the fallen boys. "If you don't move your ass... Neji? What's wrong? You look like you're about to pass out."

"Hanabi-sama." The jounin swallowed hard, trying to keep his voice steady. "Hanabi-sama, go find your father. Tell him Hinata is in the hospital and he should come as quickly as plausible."

"What? Neechan's in—"

"Now, Hanabi!"

At the barked order, the girl took flight towards the other side of the compound where the Main House resided. Neji watched her back and took one long, deep steadying breath. "Lee, let's go."

"Hai!"

_~To protect what's precious~_

Tenten ignored the pain shooting up her arm at the pregnant girl's strangling grip, just used her free hand to continuously push damp hair from a too pale face. "Ino, there's more blood..."

"I know! I'm trying to stop it, but I don't know why this is happening!" The blond was continuously pumping healing chakra into the Hyuuga's abdomen, trying to curb some of the damage being caused, a fine sheen of sweat across her brow. "Every time I heal something it just gets damaged again, and it's getting worse. The spiking is getting stronger. I don't..."

Tenten looked back down at the gasping, twitching mess Hinata had become, wishing there was more she could do. Maybe she could— The moment she tried to extract her hand from the younger girl's hold, thinking the least she could do is grab a damp cloth to try and make her more comfortable, the little fingers in hers managed to grasp even tighter, making her hiss lightly through her teeth. "Hinata, let go. I'm going to get—"

"No!" Scared, frantic lavender turned her way. "Please don't leave me!"

Tenten clenched her jaw, feeling like someone had just punched a hole through her stomach. "I wasn't going to leave you, Hinata."

The raven-haired girl continued to lock eyes with her, panting harshly until those eyes snapped shut and she arched from the bed in a wave of pain, falling back heavily once it passed. "Tenten... I'm scared."

The brunette blinked hard. "I know."

There was a loud jumble of noise from the hallway and the door was filled with the incredible presence that was the only female sannin. "Report!" she barked, striding forward, pushing Tenten out of the way when she didn't move fast enough. Not that she could go more than a step or so, still attached to the pregnant girl as she was.

"The baby's chakra is spiking and ripping apart the uterus," Ino gasped breathlessly, never stopping the continuous flow of healing light she was aiming into her friend's midsection. "I can't make it stop, and whenever I heal some of the damage it's just redone twofold. Tsuande-sama, I don't understand—"

"It's the kekkei genkais."

Ino seemed to freeze for a moment before slowly looking up, confusion clear. "What?"

"The baby's two developing kekkei genkais are clashing with one another. We need to seal one of them off in order to calm the flow." Tsunade flew through a number of handsigns, glowing palms held next to Ino's as she began to work. "Once one of the kekkei genkais is sealed, the chakra flow should return to normal and the coils will rewire themselves properly."

Ino heard the words, medically understood the basics of what was being said, but still found herself at a loss. How had this happened? What on earth had caused it? What, "What should I do?"

"Keep doing exactly as you are until I've isolated one of the kekkei genkais to be sealed; then I'll need your assistance." Perspiration began to bead across the older woman's brow as she pushed her chakra to work faster. This was bad. If they didn't hurry, both mother and baby would be lost.

"Tenten," the pregnant girl moaned fighting for coherency, which seemed to be a fleeting thing, her sweat-slicked hand sliding across the other's, "what's going on? Please tell me."

The brunette found herself at a loss for words, deep frown etched in place. She was no medic, she didn't have the faintest clue as to what the two blonds had just said, so she decided placating the injured girl would be best. "Don't worry, Hinata, everything will be fine. Tsunade-sama will fix you up in no time."

"No!" Pale eyes glared fiercely her way, despite being glassy with pain and shock and her grip remained firm. "Tell me what's happening."

"I don't know, okay!" Her face screwed up into an odd expression, impossible to place. "Something about kekkei genkais and sealing one of them or something like that."

Hinata took on the look of a deer in headlights. "Sealing?"

"Ino, I'm ready," Tsuande's voice cut through any further conversation. "I need you to assist me in sealing off the Byakuugan. Work from the top left and—"

"NO!"

The cry, followed by a massive jerk of the still bleeding body was enough to force everyone in the room silent. Even the Hokage could only stare in wordless shock as the panting Hyuuga heiress, using her elbows to force herself into a partial sitting position, glared daggers at the two medics near her belly, small figure quaking mightily with the effort of it all. "You can't seal off the Byakuugan," she said in a deadly calm, authoritative voice. "Seal the other one if you have to, but _not_ the Byakuugan."

Recovering from her initial shock, Tsunade returned the stern look and tone. "There's no choice in the matter. The chakra flow around the other kekkei genaki is too rough to allow it. It has to be the Byakuugan."

"_No_!"

"Hinata?"

The trembling head whipped around to the doorway, strands of long, greasy hair swinging about and clinging to her face. The lavender eyes somehow managed to grow in size. "Niisan?"

Neji didn't know what to do. Everything from his usually swift brain to his carefully toned body had shut down the moment he'd entered the hospital room and seen the horrific picture his cousin currently presented. Lee had told him, but... He tried to swallow around the heart lodged in his throat. This was very bad. Something was very wrong.

"Neji!"

Ino's desperate cry broke him from his trance, and he immediately looked towards her, subconsciously waiting for orders.

"Neji, tell her she has to have the procedure! Tell her it doesn't matter!"

The Hyuuga blinked. Procedure? "What procedure? If something needs to be done then do it." Why were they even discussing something so axiomatic?

"No!"

He was surprised when the one who answered him was Hinata, eyes unfocused and a bit wild, but turned towards him all the same. After a mere moment's pause for surprise, he demanded, "What do you mean no? If you need something done then do it, what the hell is all the fuss for?" He didn't mean to be sharp and snap at her, especially not when she was injured and in pain, but he didn't understand what was going on. All he could comprehend was that she was in danger and for some reason was telling the medics not to fix her. He wouldn't allow it. "Do whatever you need to do," he nodded towards the blonds.

"NO!"

At the sight of Hinata struggling weakly, the boy lost any lingering reserves and strode forward, reaching her bed in only a few steps and planting hands firmly on her shoulders. Pushing her to lie flat on the mattress, probably a bit rougher than was necessary, he fixed his furious glare down on her and commanded, "Keep still," in his most dangerous voice. It wasn't surprising when she obeyed, but tears began to well up in that beautiful opal. He refused to relent.

"Neji, you don't understand," she whispered piteously, her voice barely discernible over the sounds of the procedure being started. "The baby... they'll seal away the Byakuugan. And then, the clan, it will lead to questions why, and the elders will find out she has a second kekkei genkai and they'll know and—"

"Enough." Slim, strong hands cupped her face, forcing her gaze to lock with his own, holding it without falter. "I. Do. Not. Care. I don't care what those bastards find out, it will not make any difference. All I care about is keeping you and the baby safe. That is_ all_ that matters."

Hinata's mouth worked silently, face a mask of shock. Neji tried his best to give her a smile despite feeling like Lee was practicing taijutsu with his insides.

A sudden, loud curse from the fifth Hokage ripped apart the delicate fabric of the private world the two had managed to create. "This lousy— Hinata, what kekkei genkai is this? What clan?"

She was rather obviously not referring to the Byakuugan. Hinata bit her lip, gaze turning away. She couldn't. No one would ever know.

"Hinata," Tsuande's voice was calm and surprising gentle, but a sense of urgency underlined her tone, "I need you to tell me who the father is so I know what kind of kekkei genkai this is so I can stop the chakra flow from interfering with the sealing. You need to tell me who the father is."

She wouldn't—

"If you don't, the baby will die."

There was a heart stopping moment where she heard and felt nothing, not the chaos of the hospital room around her, not Neji's hands still on her face, not even the near excruciating pain. Die. Her baby... die?

"Tell her, Hinata," a silky smooth voice she had become so familiar with urged. A voice she had come to love. A voice she had learned to trust without question. But— "Stop."

Stop what?

"It doesn't matter what you say, nothing will change."

That wasn't true. Everything would change.

"I am right here, Hinata, and I am not leaving."

She knew that... but...

"Stop. It's enough now."

Ah. Hinata's breath hitched. Now she understood.

"It's enough."

Yes. Enough hiding. Her protector was here. Her _daughter's_ protector was here. Neji would never let anything hurt either of them.

There was no more need for secrets.

_~To protect what's precious~_

_It hurt. It hurt a lot. Yet at the same time it was a numb sort of pain, as though she wasn't really even there. Shock, the medic in her knew, but even as she thought it, nothing truly _penetrated_ her brain. It felt like she was being torn apart, the smell of the man's unwashed body nearly suffocating her, the sound of his pants and grunts echoing off the stone walls of the abandoned lab, conducting a horrific symphony she would never be able to forget. Besides that there was silence, only the soft rustle of clothing as he moved, the grating scratch of her body being dragged a bit across the ground every few minutes so he could get a better angle. Hinata never uttered a sound. She _couldn't_._

_The air harshly stung pale eyes that were fixed unblinkingly on the stone ceiling high above and sent involuntary moisture to stream down her cheeks; or at least they were fixed on the ceiling if the looming, dark-haired figure wasn't blocking their path. Because she couldn't look away. Couldn't slam the lids shut and hide in the cover and safety of the darkness they provided. Whatever that bastard had done, she couldn't move at all, not one single part of her._

_She couldn't fight back._

___~To protect what's precious~_  


Molten silver fell briefly shut in defeat at the girl's proclamation, brow pinched tight in pain. He had known what the answer would be, but it still hit him like a slap to the face, and it took everything in him not to either curse and hit the wall or lose his lunch on the hospital floor. If that man wasn't already dead...

Easing eyes back open, Neji leaned over the smaller Hyuuga's frame, pressing a warm kiss to her clammy forehead. "Good girl." He rubbed a thumb gently across a high cheekbone in a soothing motion, over and over, gaze calm and soft. He wouldn't allow her for even a moment to believe it made any difference to him. It did not matter.

For the second time that day, Tsunade found herself briefly frozen in shock as the implications of the girl's words dawned on her.

"Who's that?" Ino whispered softly to herself, confusion evident, and it was enough to bring the Hokage back to the task at hand. She could speak about this issue with Hinata after she insured the child would be alive to hold the conversation.

"Ino, I'm going to begin the sealing now. Keep trying to curb the damage until I call for your assistance. Once the Byakuugan is sealed, we'll be able to heal the damage properly. We need to move quickly."

"Hai!"

_~To protect what's precious~_

_He was talking now. After staying silent the whole time, he had now decided to tell her a bit more about his exploits. She didn't want to listen._

"—_fooled by the genjutsu. Always was my specialty. Even those pretty eyes of yours couldn't see through it, could you?" A harsh, grating laugh. "You came rushing in here, all ready to be the hero. Help a sick kid." _

Shut up! Shut up and just go away! Just... stop.

_How could she have been so stupid? _

"_Oh, don't worry. You're not the first. Not at all. That image always lures 'em in." _

_That didn't make her feel any better._

"_Though you're still the best one yet. So young. Perfect."_

_Hinata wanted to throw up. Or cry, no matter how much she was trying to detach herself from the situation. How was this happening? Why wouldn't it stop? She was so pathetic and weak and she—_

_She had just felt her fingers twitch._

___~To protect what's precious~_  


"It's sealed!" Ino crowed triumphantly as she and Tsunade finished up the very last of the procedure. Deftly and without pause, the younger blond immediately moved back to healing her friend's badly injured abdomen, the Hokage right with her. She couldn't stop the flinch when her chakra felt the damage. It was bad. The baby's spiking chakra had very nearly destroyed not only the uterus itself but the fallopian tubes, ovaries, cervix, it had even managed to do substantial damage to Hinata's bladder and bowels. It had also managed to send some of the backlash against itself and... and the more Ino looked the more she began to feel faint. This wouldn't work anymore. It just wasn't possible.

Tsunade whipped around, amber eyes flashing as she yelled to one of the nurses, "Prep for an emergency C-section, now!"

Those words brought about a huge flurry of movement, possibly even more than before, and Neji watched it all feeling confused and a bit dizzy. Not to mention sick. "What's going on? What's wrong now? I thought you said you sealed it correctly."

"She needs a C-section, Neji," a shaky Tenten answered when no one else did, still standing stiffly back against the wall by the bed, still trying to figure out if this was an elaborate, crazy dream. "That means they need to do an operation that will cut open her stomach and remove the baby, y'know, instead of a regular birth." The girl was no medic, but she at least knew that much.

"Remove the—" Neji shook his head, open horror on his face. "They can't. It's too early."

"Nej—"

"She's still got five weeks left! They can't—"

"There's no choice, Neji," Ino cut in from where she was still doing something over Hinata's lower mid-section, blue eyes never once straying from their task. "If we don't remove the baby now, both she and Hinata will die."

"But—"

"I know it's early, but it's really not all that early. Babies less developed than this have been removed via C-section and survived to be perfectly healthy children. We'll do our best."

Neji continued to shake his head stupidly, trying to wrap his brain around this newest development. This was all happening so fast. "Hinat..." The boy let his voice trail off weakly when pale eyes landed on the bed. Hinata had finally succumbed to unconsciousness.

More bustling movement as a number of orderlies rushed into the room, transferring the girl's prone figure from the bed onto a gurney and began to roll her away, Ino never leaving her side, still barking out commands. Neji followed them dumbly into the hall and watched as they entered a room a bit farther down, the door closing behind them with a resounding thud, shutting the rest of the world out, leaving him surrounded by an eerie silence. And all the Hyuuga prodigy could feel was an icy numbness spread throughout his limbs. What had just happened?

"Neji?"

The soft voice behind him, filled with worry and trepidation had him turning slowly towards the sound. His teammate stood there, shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot, brown eyes full of concern never looking away. And she had blood on her hands.

Hinata's blood.

"Ten."

When the Hyuuga male quite literally collapsed against her, Tenten staggered a bit under his superior size, but no self-respecting kunoichi couldn't even support a friend in need. Letting him lean on her heavily, she brought her arms up to wrap around him as best she could in the awkward position, knowing Lee was just off to her right somewhere even if she couldn't see him. She wanted to tell her ex, her best friend that everything would be okay. That Hinata and the baby would both be fine, that there was nothing to worry about.

Except she knew they would be hollow words, empty promises she had no way of keeping. So she stayed silent and held him.

_~To protect what's precious~_

_She was sure she hadn't imagined it. Her fingers had definitely twitched, even if only the slightest bit. Willing herself to focus, to concentrate on something other than the man's putrid breath in her face as he continued his disgusting monologue, she attempted, this time purposely, to repeat the action. It took several tries, but- there! Her fingers had moved as per her orders. And the very tips were starting to tingle, pins and needles like after you sat awkwardly for too long and your leg fell asleep. She knew what was happening. Life was coming back to her body._

_Another minute or two passed, though to the girl it felt like an eternity in hell as she tried to recite poetry in her head. When she was very young, her mother would often take her out to the gardens surrounding the Hyuuga compound and share some of her favorites poems with the small child. As such, Hinata had always found the verses calming, soothing. They reminded her of happier times, so whenever she felt the desperate panic beginning to claw against her mind, trying to take over like the insidious parasite it was, she would drift back to the gardens with her mother once more, the older woman's soft, lilting voice washing over her like a warm blanket. It was her safe haven, fleeing to there had always worked before; but this time she couldn't find her way. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't find the gardens. She couldn't truly tear her mind away from the monster above her, just floated in that same state of half-awareness, like in a dream._

_Then suddenly, for just a moment, he was gone, replaced by nothing but solid black. It was the desperate relief in her burning eyes rather than a fully functioning brain that allowed her to comprehend what had happened. She had blinked, involuntarily; and from the looks of it she'd lucked out and he hadn't seen. She couldn't let him see. Couldn't let him know she was regaining control of her body. Surprise was her only hope of turning the tables._

_So she laid there as the tingling in her extremities grew sharper, as the pins and needles began to spread up her arms and legs, the pain, which she'd thought had been bad before, turning excruciating as the numbness of her figure began to dissipate. Still she kept her face blank, expressionless, knowing the slightest hint would be her end. As long as he thought she was still paralyzed she stood a chance._

_So she laid there as still and silent as a doll, forcing her body beyond anything she'd ever done before, past her limits to physical heights she never knew she possessed. Don't move, don't twitch, don't speak. Don't blink._

* * *

Finally got this out. Sorry for the wait. So... I know these last two chapter have been especially dramatic *sheepishly tries to duck out of sight*. What I really want to know is whether or not they felt... over the top. Part of me thinks they are and part of me doesn't, and I really just don't know. So if you could let me know what you think... That would be really, really helpful.

And before anyone asks why Hinata seems out of it one minute here and completely coherent the next (because my cousin was confused)... Well, I don't know about you, but whenever I've been in incredible pain and on the verge of passing out (a rather frequent occurrence, I'm afraid. I have this incredible lack of self-preservation.) I always felt like I'd just taken some of the world's best drugs and was practically floating, until all of a sudden the bubble around my head popped and everything was incredibly, startlingly clear and in focus. Only for the process to repeat over and over until the pain subsided or I did, in fact, pass out. Don't know if this is exactly normal, but it's all I really know so... yeah.

As you likely noticed, my Wall of Fame is gone. It was just... getting too big. I was afraid it would start to eat my story if I didn't put it down. I never would have started it in the first place if I'd realized how many awesome reviews I would get. Which I didn't, of course. It still shocks me. Anyway, despite the list being gone, please know I do read and greatly appreciate every review I receive. I would _especially_ appreciate it if you left me your opinion of this chapter so... review!


	23. Dog Bites

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto there would be Byakuugan babies everywhere! So I guess it's not mine.

Hinata-18, 35 weeks pregnant

Neji-19

Warnings: Language, non-con

**Additional Warning:** I say again; this chapter contains** non-con**, i.e. non-consensual sexual content. It's not especially graphic, but it is somewhat vivid. I need it that way to better explain the situation unfortunately. Therefore, if non-con bothers you or if you fear it may act as a trigger, **please skip the flashback scenes!** That's everything written in _italics_. This is the only warning I will give, and I don't want to receive any complaints later that you didn't know. Thank you.

* * *

_"In a controversy, the instant we feel anger, we have already ceased striving for truth and have begun striving for ourselves."_

**-Abraham J. Heschel **

* * *

**Chapter 22: Dog Bites**

"A C-section? Is that the same as with dogs? They cut open her stomach and take the pups out?"

Sakura's answer was much more subdued as she gently explained, "That's the basics of it, yes, but it's much more in depth than all that. It's a surgery to remove the baby without having it pass through the birthing canal... It's really not all that uncommon."

"Yeah, but it can still be dangerous!"

Inuzuka was really too loud, Neji mused silently from his seat perched on the hideously plaid waiting room chair. This was a hospital, not a dogpound. He really ought to keep his voice down, seeing as there were sick people all about. They'd kick him out if he wasn't careful.

"So wait," Naruto interjected, obviously confused and worried if his face was anything to go by. "They're gonna cut open Hinata-chan's tummy and take the baby out? I thought she wasn't ready to have the baby yet."

Neji snorted softly to himself, drawing a concerned look from Tenten and a long, careful gaze from Shikamaru. The future Hokage made a valid point for once.

"She wasn't quite ready to have it naturally—" Sakura began in a placating tone.

"Then shouldn't they leave it in?" Naruto's eyes were huge. "It'll be too little!"

Neji ran his thumb absently along the rim of the cooling teacup in his hands, white eyes resolutely refusing to look up at anyone. Lee had disappeared for a few minutes and returned with it, whether by his own will or Tenten's silent order Neji wasn't sure, pushing it rather insistently into the Hyuuga's grip around the same time Kiba showed up with Naruto and Sakura on his heels. The tea was chamomile, relaxing and quite tasty, but so far the Byakuugan-user had only managed approximately two and a half sips. It wasn't easy to drink anything when you were afraid you might sick up everywhere.

"They _can't_ leave it in, Naruto." Sakura's voice was soft and quite a bit more patient than it usually was when explaining something to the blond. "You heard what Lee and Tenten said." The silent 'and how they look' hung uncomfortably in the air. It was hard to miss the bloodstains on two-thirds of Team Gai. "Something happened, so the baby has to be taken out. I'm sure Ino will explain it all better when she's done taking care of Hinata. For now just trust her and Tsunade-sama to do their jobs."

Nara was still studying him, and he knew that should probably bother him. Normally it would, but right now... He forced down another swallow of lukewarm tea.

"But won't it be too little?" Naruto's voice sounded so desperate it would have been cute in a different situation. "If it's too little, it'll die!"

It took a surprising amount of strength to keep breathing evenly.

"It shouldn't be too little," the medic hastened to assure not only him but everyone else in earshot. "It will be early, and it might need to spend some time in an incubator, maybe even have a few surgeries" —Neji felt an odd, hysterical laughter start to bubble up— "but it should be okay. Don't... don't worry."

_Yeah right_.

"Heh, yeah right! There's plenty to worry about!" Kiba wasn't consoled in the least by her words. "It might not be that uncommon, but a C-section's still surgery. Plenty could go wrong!"

Lee was now shooting him some not so subtle glances while Tenten chewed on her bottom lip.

"Kiba—"

"If somethin' happens, she and the baby could both die! Or the baby could be really messed up!"

Neji's chest felt like it was shrinking.

"Kiba—"

"I've seen it happen with dogs, the same thing could happen here! Like, its lungs aren't completely formed so it can't breathe on its own, or its eyes aren't developed so it's blind, or its brain so, y'know."

The tea began to slosh a bit inside the cup.

"And that's only the beginning!"

"_Shut up_, Kiba!" Tenten's angry hiss was met with several surprised faces until the brunette looked pointedly at the Hyuuga sitting next to her, struggling to maintain a steady hold on his drink. The guilt flashed clearly across Inuzuka's eyes, and he pressed his lips together tightly. When would he learn?

Deftly retrieving the cup from her teammate's grip before it could reach a disastrous end, Tenten passed it over her shoulder to Lee, laying her free hand across the now clenched ones of the Hyuuga. Comfort wasn't exactly her thing, but she could try. And she still wasn't stupid enough to try and placate Neji with meaningless words. That might work on some people, but it had only ever angered the young man in front of her.

"Don't worry, Neji! Tsunade-baachan's on it! I'm sure Hinata-chan and the baby'll both be just fine, dattebayo!"

Words like the ones Naruto had all but yelled into the otherwise eerily silent, white-washed hallway. Tenten winced, waiting for the scathing remark Neji was sure to give the blond's overzealous enthusiasm... only to have it never come. Neji stayed quiet, eyes never even looking up from where her hand rested on his. She wasn't even entirely sure he had heard Naruto _to_ get annoyed with him; and that worried her far more than his anger ever could.

Everyone else, Naruto included, picked up on the jounin's odd behavior, worried glances shooting amongst them. It was never good when Neji was so far gone he didn't even get bitchy. Shikamaru stuffed his hands irritably in his pockets a breathed out a soft, "Troublesome," jaw clenched tight.

More than one of the assembled shinobi jumped when the door to Hinata's operating room was flung open and several nurses poured out, pushing something between them... A hospital baby bed. One which contained a loudly wailing newborn, testing out its (properly working) lungs for the first time. Neji leapt to his feet, eyes wide.

The Hyuuga was so focused on the group pushing the bed down the hall, away from him, that he failed to see a weary, grim-looking Ino approaching until she stood right in front of him, blocking his view. "Ino," he greeted stiffly, attempting to peer over her shoulder until the nurses turned the corner and disappeared out of sight. "How— what—"

"The baby's fine. They want to monitor her for a while, especially since she was premature, but as far as we can tell she's perfectly healthy. Even healthier than a lot of babies born full term."

At the blond's words, Neji felt such a wave of relief wash over him his knees went weak from it. Sinking back down into the chair before he could embarrass himself properly, he let out a deep sigh, the faintest of smiles tugging at his lips. "That's good to hear." At least he thought so, until his mind fully registered the look on the Yamanaka's face. "What's wrong?" If the baby was all right, then— "Hinata. What's wrong with Hinata?"

Ino looked away from him, making his stomach twist violently into knots. If something happened to Hinata...

"She's still in surgery." Taking a deep breath, Ino looked back at him, blue eyes tearing up. "I won't lie to you; it looks bad. There was... there was a lot of serious damage done to her internal organs. A few of them were destroyed beyond repair." She swallowed hard, remembering all too clearly the mess her friend's insides had become. "However, the worst of the damage was focused around her reproductive organs, none of which she needs to live. So, assuming Tsunade-sama can fix her vital organs again... though there was a substantial amount of blood loss, not to mention the shock of it all and then having the C-section..."

Neji was no medic, but he understood the gist of what she was saying. "What... are her chances?"

The tall blond brought her arms up around herself, as if to shield her from her own words. "Maybe... about fifty-fifty right now. It— it could be worse."

And it could most certainly be better. For a moment there was a heavy silence, all of them coming to terms with what they'd just learned. Then Sakura began asking questions, medical questions, and as Ino answered she did her best to translate it for the others present... all except for Neji who had ceased to listen. At this point he really didn't care why Hinata was injured, just that she was.

"I don't understand," Naruto interjected loudly, cutting Ino off mid-sentence. "How can the baby have two kekkei-genkais? Do the Hyuugas have another one we don't know about?"

Ino hesitated, obviously unsure of what to say. She had promised—

"I'm not the baby's father."

"What?" Naruto bellowed. "Then who is?"

Neji didn't answer; didn't even bother to look up.

Well, Ino mused, at least Neji had saved her from a rather awkward predicament. Ignoring the others and looking at him sadly, it was obvious he didn't think keeping up the act was worth it anymore; and he was probably right. From what they'd told her in the beginning, this whole charade started because of Hyuuga clan 'stuff'. And there was no way the Hyuuga clan, which by law had complete access to any of its members' medical files, wouldn't do everything in their power to find out exactly what had happened with their heiress. Their cover was blown.

It was this knowledge which gave Ino, she felt, permission to cautiously ask, "Neji. I've never heard that name before... Who is he?"

_~To protect what's precious~_

_Hinata had taken kunoichi classes before. They were required for all female shinobi, becoming more in depth the older you got and the higher your rank. In it they learned plenty of useful things, everything from how to best deal with bad menstrual cramps on a mission to different ways of physically overpowering an attacking male; and during one of those classes they had covered sexual assault to quite a degree. Admittedly, Hinata had been too uncomfortable to listen to that particular lecture properly, but there were things she remembered. Important things. Namely, the one thing that might save her now._

_She could still recall sitting there, red-faced, eyes fixed blearily on the wood of the desk in front of her while the ANBU level kunoichi at the front of the room explained a number of useful things about the finer workings of the male anatomy and how that anatomy behaved during intercourse. _

"Once the male reaches orgasm, you will have a short period in which he will be completely focused on that and nothing else. In other words, completely vulnerable. It will often be your only opportunity to strike, so be prepared and do not waste it."

_And that was all she had to do. Wait. Wait until that one moment where all of the man's defenses were down, where he would be unable to defend himself in any way; where he would be even more helpless than she was._

___~To protect what's precious~_  


"Him?" Kiba rounded on Ino the moment Neji had uttered the forgotten name but before she could even consider trying to answer, brown eyes narrowed to slits, hackles raised. "Whatcha wanna know about _him_ for?"

"I know, I know!" Naruto cried, bouncing up and down with his hand in the air. How had Iruka dealt with him in class for years? "He's that missing-nin Hinata-chan killed awhile back. Remember, everyone was, like, super surprised because... well, y'know Hinata-chan's just not the strongest shinobi around, y'know; and that guy was strong. S-class or somethin' like that."

"He _was_ S-class," Kiba confirmed, still eyeing Ino warily. Knowing there was something he just wasn't getting. "Why bring him up now?"

Ino barely heard the dog-nin, seeing as she'd gone white in the face and brought both hands up to cover her mouth about half-way through Naruto's rambling. Eyes wide enough to pop, she appeared to swallow convulsively several times before managing to school her expression back to something resembling a semblance of normality, stiffly forcing her arms to lay flat at her sides, only to bring them up again a moment later to cross over her chest in an almost defensive posture. Shifting her weight about some more, she seemed to be studying the ground near her feet for a minute before looking up, still visibly unsettled by the revelation; and it was around then Neji heard nearly simultaneous gasps from both Sakura and Tenten, the latter's hand tightening like a vice around his own. Had the situation been different, Neji would have been amused at the way the girls had clearly developed a form of female telepathy.

"So it's really _not _yours."

That had come from Sakura, and though Neji wasn't looking her way he knew it had been directed at him. "No. It's not."

The pink-haired girl pursed her lips, clearly still trying to unravel it all in her head. Good luck with that. "Why the big cover-up then?"

Oh boy. Where to begin? It occurred to Neji, of course, that he didn't really _need_ to give answers to anyone, didn't have to explain his actions to anyone but Kami, only... in a way he felt he did. These were his friends, it was becoming harder and harder to deny that now, and what's more, they had all stuck by Hinata, and him, through all the crap thrown their way those past few months. Well, all except for his own team, but the circumstances there were even _more_ muddled, so he refused to even begin to get into that one. The point was, everyone in this room cared about him or Hinata or both of them to different varying degrees. They should know the truth. He was sick of secrets.

"It's complicated." He fixed his eyes on Sakura, but everyone knew he was addressing them as a group. "Even I was unaware of the real father's identity until... quite recently." _Until today_. "Hinata refused to name him, but what her exact reasoning was for that you'd have to ask her." He had to pause and take a deep breath. What if they never got the chance to ask? "The clan wanted to demote her for becoming pregnant out of wedlock."

"Demote?" Naruto quipped, brow furrowed.

Neji silently reached up and touched his fingertips to his covered forehead.

"Oh, you mean... yeah. Got it."

A curt nod, and the jounin continued. "There is an— there is..." This was far harder to talk about then he'd originally imagined it would be. He really hated his family. "It is not uncommon amongst the Hyuuga clan for a Main House male to take one or more branch house females as... courtesans. Pregnancies from these encounters are not all that uncommon either."

This time it was Lee who very hesitantly asked, "What is a, uh... _courtesan_ exactly?"

"A whore," Tenten grated out, her hand squeezing Neji's so hard he was beginning to lose all feeling in his fingers. "That's absolutely disgusting."

"Yes," he agreed softly, "it is; however, as I said, it is a long-standing practice in our clan. When Hinata was to be demoted, I needed to act fast..." His throat closed up on him, and he found it impossible to continue. Swallowing his pride was one thing, but he honestly didn't know if he could tell his friends what he'd done, what he'd been forced to say, to lie about. What he'd had to pretend to be. Thank Kami for geniuses.

"You pretended to be Hinata's courtesan. How troublesome."

Neji inclined his head, shooting Shikamaru a short look of gratitude for saying the words he apparently couldn't. "It was all I could come up with in the brief amount of time I had."

Kiba chuckled good-naturedly, lacing his fingers behind his head. "Pretty smart, if you ask me. Besides, I wouldn't mind bein' Hina-chan's personal sex-slave."

The others all chose to ignore him.

"Okay," Sakura said slowly, still trying to work it out. "So you pretended to be the father to keep Hinata from being demoted... because you wanted her to take over the clan?"

The question mark at the end of the last sentence was clear, and Neji actually felt his lips quirk just a bit. "No. I feel she would be the best leader, yes; but I don't give two shits about the damned Hyuuga clan." Let them rot in hell for all he cared. They'd fucked him over one too many times.

The pinkette shook her head, not understanding and wanting to. "Then why would you bother to go through all of that? If it doesn't matter to you —and I know it doesn't matter to Hinata— whether or not she takes over the clan, why bother?"

Neji never answered because Tenten beat him to it, sounding stunned as though she'd just been hit over the head with a hammer. "Isn't it obvious?"

Sakura, no, everyone but Neji just stared at her.

"He did it because he didn't want her to be marked." Tenten leaned forward so her eyes could seek out his. "Because he loved her. Even before any of this happened."

Neji gave up completely on being stoic and strong and let his face fall forward into his waiting hands, hiding him away from that knowing brown gaze. "Yes."

"How long?"

He laughed bitterly, the sound muffled by his sweaty appendages. "_Years_. Possibly since we were children. When we were small, I thought the sun rose and set for her. The first time I saw her I told my father I thought she was cute." Why was he sharing this?

"But..." He could hear Naruto shuffle forward a few steps even if he couldn't see him. "If— if you loved Hinata all that time... why—"

"Because I am a stupid fool." Neji didn't even want to think about everything he'd done in the past to hurt Hinata. He couldn't, it just gave him a headache and never made any damn sense, leaving him at a loss as to how he should explain it to others. He startled when a hand fell lightly on his shoulder.

"People do some really stupid shit when they're angry and upset," Shikamaru said, his tone still bored but somehow soft and serious as well. "It's not rational, but it's normal; and you did, at least, have a reason to be angry, Hyuuga."

"Nara." Neji sighed. "Thank you, but don't make up some psycho-babble bullshit to try and make me feel better."

Shikamaru didn't answer, but his hand stayed where it was.

"No," Kiba spoke up slowly, voice strained, "that's actually true. He's right."

Neji's hands slipped down away from his eyes, and he fixed the Inuzuka with a droll look. "You're defending what I did to Hinata?"

The brunette bared his teeth at that, eyes narrowing dangerously at such an accusation. "I'm most definitely not! 'M just sayin' Shika was right!" He huffed out an annoyed breath. "S'like with dogs, Hyuuga."

The older boy's face twisted at being likened to one of the other shinobi's mutts. He compared everything to dogs.

"No, it really is this time!" Kiba insisted hotly. "When a dog's hurt, they bark'n growl at everyone; but it's always the people who try to heal 'em, the ones who're try'na help that get bitten. Because they're the ones that get too close."

That... was so accurate Neji found himself speechless. He was pretty sure the others all felt the same too, knew that Naruto and Sakura were contemplating their lost teammate in that same light. Finally, Shikamaru chuckled softly. "Yeah, Kiba. I think you got it."

_~To protect what's precious~_

_Hinata had never seen a man orgasm. No surprise given how incredibly inexperienced she was. Regardless, she knew what it would look like, what signs would foretell it's coming, both from a few choice medical texts and from listening to her friends and coworkers gossiping over their lunch break. That's how she knew the man above her was close. She just had to be patient. Wait... wait... _wait_..._

_Now!_

_The moment the shuddering man's eyes fell closed and his face pinched in a near painful expression, Hinata moved. Her Byakuugan activated instinctively with ease, the familiar chakra gathered almost instantly into the palm of her hand, and one single, striking movement was all it took. One little blow to the heart._

_The bastard had the chance to open his eyes one last time, confusion and bemusement nearly tangible. Then the blood slowly leaked from his pursed lips. He took three slow, choking breaths. Then he fell forward onto his victim and killer, silent and still. _

_Hinata lay there under his heavy form, body going through the symptoms of physical and mental shock, too just everything to move._

___~To protect what's precious~_  


It wasn't until a few minutes had passed in mostly silent contemplation by everyone that Kiba demanded, his voice back once more to its regular, intolerable volume, "Why were you askin' about that missing-nin earlier? I still wanna know why he's so important!"

The girls all exchanged looks again and Shikamaru shifted uncomfortably just the slightest. The only ones who hadn't yet been able to figure it out were Kiba, Naruto, and Lee, something that wouldn't last long, that was for sure. Deciding to just get it over with now, spare Hinata from having to answer her teammate when (if) she was better, Neji said dispassionately, "It's quite simple, Inuzuka. He's the real father of Hinata's baby."

There were a few seconds of coveted reprieve where Kiba just blinked. Then a furious snarl ripped its way from his lips, his teeth bared like an angry dog, his eyes narrowed down to dangerous slits, chakra flaring and barely contained. Everyone around him unconsciously took a step back from his ire. "What _the fuck_ did you just say, Hyuuga?"

Neji stared back impassively, not threatened or moved at all really by the other's expression. "I said—"

"Hinata would never sleep with that lousy bastard!" Kiba roared, cutting the other off and most definitely making too much noise for a hospital hallway. "How dare you say shit like—"

"Inuzuka." Neji's voice never raised, but his tone was colder than ice. "_Think_."

_~To protect what's precious~_

_Both male members of Team 8, also known as Team Kurenai, were flying through the trees at top speed, eager to reach their remaining teammate and get the hell out of that godforsaken forest. Hinata had sent them the signal that she'd located the target ages ago, but the boys had been delayed by an annoying large group of low-level nuke-nin. Nothing they couldn't handle with only a few scrapes and scratches, but it had seriously put them behind schedule. Who knew what Hinata was thinking by now or what trouble she might have come across in their absence. _

_Landing lightly and silently on a conveniently placed branch, eyes beneath dark glass scanned the foliage around them, the barest hint of a frown crossing the usually stoic face. It should be around here somewhere... "Kiba. Can you smell her?"_

_The Inuzuka snorted uncouthly at the question, running a hand back through already messy hair, brown eyes sharp and irritated. "Can't smell nothin' but chemicals." _

_Shino's brows knitted together in confusion. "Chemicals?" _

"_Yeah. Cleaning stuff."_

_The Aburame found that a bit odd. Cleaning stuff? "Did you smell it when we were in the area previously?" _

_A negative._

"_Then can you tell me precisely what type of 'cleaning stuff' it is?" _

_Kiba chuckled dryly, giving his boyfriend a rather sardonic look. "C'mon, bugboy, really? I could tell you from a mile away whether someone's cookin' beef, pork, or chicken, but I never exactly studied the chemical compounds of floor cleaner vs. toilet cleaner. Sorry." _

_Shino ignored the underlying sarcasm laced in the statement, too focused on deciding their next move. "Take us to the source of the scent." _

_That was how they had found the lab themselves only minutes later. Once the actual building had been located, searching out the door wasn't too hard either, and soon it had been yanked open, only for Kiba to jerk back, rubbing insistently at his stinging nose in the process. "Kami, that _reeks_!" _

"_Keep your voice down," Shino warned lowly, though since even he could clearly smell the sharp, pungent odor, it must be near torture for the dog-nin. "Can you continue on?"_

"_Yeah," Kiba insisted, blinking away natural tears, "yeah, just gimme a sec to adjust." He also ripped a strip of material from his already torn pants and tied it securely around his face, covering his nose as best he could. No reason to suffer unnecessarily. "I'm good." _

_The now masked brunette led the other boy down through a series of narrow corridors to where the smell was strongest, not sure exactly what would be there and not sure he wanted to know, but he'd certainly never expected the sight that greeted them. "Hinata!" _

_The girl jerked and leapt back at the call, but she seemed to relax when she realized who it was. "Oh. K-kiba-kun. Shino-k-kun." _

_Kiba blinked at the stutter, no longer accustomed to hearing it after it had been gone for so long now, then let his eyes roam down to the dead man on the ground. He must have really startled her if she was this jumpy and nervous._

"_Hinata," Shino intoned his own, much more subdued greeting. "Are you injured?" _

"_Hm?" The girl stared for a moment, like she couldn't decipher her teammate's words. "I-injured? Oh, n-n-no, I'm fine. J-just a l-l-little banged up. Nothing to w-w-worry about." _

_Shino took a long moment to survey her, but didn't comment further on that topic. "May I ask why you were in the process of covering a dead man with bleach?" _

"_The smell," she muttered distractedly, but Kiba couldn't see how that made any sense. Something he felt no qualms about sharing. _

"_W-well, I thought m-m-maybe blood would... at-t-ttract someone, s-s-so I—" She gestured vaguely towards the body which had indeed been soaked in cleaning supplies. Quite a bit of which she'd seemed to spill on herself as well._

_Kiba cocked his head to the side, trying to work out the Hinata-logic of that._

"_While blood would possibly attract someone," Shino voiced his own thoughts, "it's far more likely in this sort of area, where death and injuries are quite common, that a foreign smell would attract them much quicker." A foreign smell like bleach._

_Hinata blushed red brightly and floundered to give apologies, but neither boy was actually upset; or even surprised really. Sometimes Hinata got some strange ideas into her head, especially when flustered. This definitely wasn't the most odd._

"_So you took this prick out, Hina-chan?" _

_The girl nodded dumbly, eyes darting about to survey every small corner and shadow and mind already lightyears away. The boys ignored the odd behavior. This guy really must have scared her pretty badly. _

_Shino approached the body and rolled it from its stomach onto its back, completely missing when Hinata flinched and quickly looked away. Barely believing his eyes, the Aburame knelt down and studied the man's features more closely. "This man is in the bingo book." _

_Kiba started at that piece of news, but Hinata didn't even glance his way. "The bingo book? You sure?" _

"_Fairly sure." Shino peered at the man's face again and nodded. "I cannot recall his name; but yes, he is the one. S-class." _

_Kiba grinned, letting out a small whoop of triumph. "Hear that, Hina-chan? You took out an S-class nuke-nin, all by yourself!"_

_Hinata didn't look as if she had heard at all. She just smiled._

___~To protect what's precious~_  


Kiba did; and less than a minute later understanding finally dawned on his face. "But—that's impossible. She woulda told me and Shino. I mean, we were on that mission with her. She was fine after— I mean she—" He looked around at the others, as though pleading with them to tell him he was wrong. His face fell when they all looked uncomfortably away. "Why didn't she say nothin'?"

"About what?" Naruto demanded curiously, only to have Sakura grab him by the arm and bodily drag him away. Likely to explain the situation, much like Tenten was softly doing with Lee. Well, now everyone would know absolutely everything. So much for all those months of carefully keeping secrets.

The hand had returned and Neji glanced at its owner accusingly, brows drawn low. "You knew."

Shikamaru had the decency to look guilty as he nodded.

"You knew, and yet you refused to tell me."

Now the Nara was turning a bit red.

"Hinata would be incredibly grateful to you." Neji paused, looking the younger boy squarely in the face. "As am I. For both respecting her privacy and yet still pointing me in the right direction when she needed help."

Shikamaru licked dry lips, clearing his throat harshly. "I was watching her. I would have told you if—"

"I know."

The two of them sat in comfortable silence, having reached an understanding.

_~To protect what's precious~_

Nearly twenty more minutes passed. Kiba had collapsed limply into the chair next to Neji, head bowed, eyes clouded. It wasn't hard to see he was blaming himself, berating himself for a number of things. For letting it happen, for not realizing earlier something was wrong, for not paying immediate attention to the girl's strange behavior when it had first shown itself. No one attempted to reassure the Inuzuka, knowing their words would fall on deaf ears and further knowing the only one capable of such a feat was the currently absent Aburame. Shino would be upset and angry with himself as well, but he would also have the ability to look at everything from a more logical standpoint. He'd get over his guilt and anger quickly, helping his boyfriend to do the same. They would just need to wait for his return.

Much like Kiba, Naruto and Lee had gone completely silent. Even people as thick and socially inept as they often were could tell how fragile the whole situation was. One wrong word, a stupid comment from an unguarded tongue, could set off either Neji, Kiba, or the girls, so they'd both individually come to the same conclusion that keeping quiet was best. So silence reigned over the group like a storm cloud, dark and angry, thick with ominous foreshadowing.

Then the door to Hinata's room opened.

Neji quite literally tripped over his own feet when he went to stand, his usual grace completely gone, and only Tenten's hand landing lightly on his forearm stopped him from rushing to his cousin's side. He was about to brush her off when the Hokage emerged, face weary, age lines deep and thick despite the jutsu used to keep her appearance young. Neji felt all hope drain from him at the sight. "Tsunade-sama?"

The blond didn't speak until she stood directly in front of the young man, golden eyes bright with remorse as she set a slightly shaky hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Neji. We did everything we could."

* * *

Oh yes, I did leave it there. I know you hate me. It's understandable.

Not sure how I feel about this chapter, but it's been sitting on my computer long enough; so here you go, there's at least some more answers for you but obviously not all of them... And I'm pressed for time, so even though I think there was more I wanted to say, I'll have to leave it for now.

I've been super busy and tired lately, so reviews would _really_ make my day and inspire me to write quicker. Review!


	24. Papercuts

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto there would be Byakuugan babies everywhere! So I guess it's not mine.

Hinata-18, 35 weeks pregnant

Neji-19

Warnings: Language, non-con references

* * *

_"Do not go gentle into that good night._  
_Rage, rage against the dying of the light."_

**-Dylan Thomas,_ Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night_**

* * *

**Chapter 23: Papercuts**

Neji's entire world was falling apart around him. The dull pounding in his ears had become a steady drumbeat, loud and deafening, blocking out all other noise entirely. Thick pieces of cotton began stuffing themselves insistently into his head, squeezing tightly around his brain as his vision blurred, the image of the woman in front of him turning into an indecipherable mass of color. _Hinata... Hinata..._

From somewhere far away, the jounin felt a hard hand fall onto his shoulder and jerk him back, felt another hand come to the back of his neck, forcing his head down between his knees. There were unintelligible shouts until someone else ordered for silence, and there was a voice much closer and softer, telling him to relax, telling him to breathe. How could he breathe when she was gone?

Awareness came slowly and painfully back to him, and he blinked blearily down at his sandal-clad feet. He was in the chair again, he noticed blandly, the calloused hand on the back of his neck firm but the thumb rubbing soothing circles. The voice was still talking in a low, calm voice, repeating the same things over and over in a steady mantra. Relax, breathe, calm down, deep breaths, relax, breathe—

Hating himself for looking so weak and foolish in front of others— and then hating himself even more for caring about his reputation at a time like this, Neji irritably sat up, ignoring the way his head spun as well as Shikamaru's protests to move slowly. He shook the Nara's hands off, his stubborn pride refusing to thank the other boy for his help. Instead he set his jaw firmly and stood, looking the Hokage directly in the eye, refusing to so much as glance at the others watching him with concerned faces, definitely not looking to where he could hear Inuzuka _whimpering_ like a kicked puppy. "My apologies, Tsunade-sama. Please continue." He would be strong. He was a Hyuuga.

Tsunade, used to the stoic act from the white-eyed clan, didn't bother to argue with him, merely inclined her head in acknowledgement of the apology. "It's partially my fault, Neji. I should have chosen my words more carefully."

The boy said nothing, just stared, waiting for the ax to fall.

"We managed to salvage enough of Hinata's vital organs to keep her alive. Unfortunately, during the process she slipped into a coma. As it stands now, we're unable to determine whether or not she'll ever wake up. The chances... aren't looking very good."

Neji's teeth were chattering behind closed lips. At least she wasn't dead. If she wasn't dead, there was a chance she could get better. She could still get better.

"If she does wake up, will she be all right?" Kiba demanded hoarsely, sounding seconds away from tears. Neji kept his gaze resolutely away.

"She'll never be able to have any more children," Tsunade said softly, her voice professional and sympathetic at the same time. "Her reproductive organs were damaged too badly. Also... she'd no longer be able to go on missions out of the village. There would be too great a risk to her health after the amount of internal injury, and it's likely she'll always be physically weaker now."

Silence reigned once more, the storm cloud having burst to let misery and sadness pour down on the assembled shinobi. Hinata wasn't dead, but at the moment, she might as well be. If she did ever recover, her life would go through some drastic changes. Nothing would ever be quite the same again...

Neji barely blinked when he found himself with an armful of teary blond.

"I'm so sorry, Neji!" Ino sobbed, burying her face against his neck and clawing desperately at his back to grab a handful of his shirt, desperately looking for an anchor. "This is all my fault. I was her doctor, and I didn't see any of this, and—"

"Don't be ridiculous," Tsunade snapped, eyes flashing in suppressed anger. She wasn't about to lose one of her most promising young medics to guilt and self-criminations, it had happened too many times in the past already. "First of all, you wouldn't have been able to catch Hinata's condition more than forty-eight hours in advance, and since you can hardly be expected to give her examinations every day, you did nothing wrong. Secondly, even if you _had_ seen the early stages, it's likely you would have had no idea there was a problem anyway. A fetus with two kekkei-genkais is extremely rare, thus the condition of those kekkei-genkais clashing is even rarer. You can't find something you were never taught to look for. If anyone's to blame for this, it would be me for not checking on Hinata's condition more myself and not keeping you well enough informed. What's done is done, and throwing about blame won't help Hinata get any better."

Ino nodded without lifting her head, though her crying didn't subside. Lifting a numb arm, Neji patted her awkwardly on the back, feeling her wet tears and hot breath against his bare skin, and able to think only about how much taller Ino was than Hinata. Hinata could never reach to his neck like this, she fit snugly in his arms, always pressing her face into his chest when he held her. Would he ever be able to hold her again?

"Neji!"

Hanabi's voice barely cut through the haze of fog around the boy's head, and though he heard his name quite clearly, it didn't truly register that someone was calling him. He did, however, start a bit when Tenten's hand fell on his shoulder and Ino pulled back a little in order to see. "Neji," the blond said with a sniffle. "Neji, your family's here."

Neji blinked. _Family?_ Silvery eyes turned to see Hanabi running up to him, his uncle following at a much slower, more dignified pace. Ah, right. His 'family'. Letting go of Ino completely and stepping away from his teammate, he gave both Main House members a small, curt bow as propriety dictated. "Hiashi-sama. Hanabi-sama."

"Neji," Hiashi greeted back in, what for him, was a downright polite tone of voice. "What news do you have of Hinata?"

Neji studied his father's twin carefully, taking in the slightly paler color of the skin, the deeper lines around the white eyes, the tightness in the thin lips. To others he may look the same as always, but Neji had learned how to read the subtle signs in his clan head. Hiashi was worried. "She has fallen into a coma, Hiashi-sama." It was strange how thick those simple words tasted on his tongue.

Hiashi blandly inclined his head in acknowledgement, as though he felt absolutely nothing from hearing this. Neji, though, saw his jaw clench and fingers twitch. "Indeed. How exactly did this come to pass?"

The Hyuuga prodigy opened his mouth to commence a monotone explanation of exactly what he had learned, only to have his voice catch roughly, no words actually coming out. He shut his mouth and cleared his throat before trying again, only to have the same thing happen once more, making him look like a gaping fish. He couldn't do it. His perfect control was failing him in front of one of the few people it should absolutely _never_ fail him in front of.

"I think I can give you a better explanation than Neji can, Hiashi," Tsunade interrupted briskly, coming up behind the jounin and gently shouldering him out of the way.

Neji knew she had just come to his rescue, and for once he accepted the assistance with gratitude. This was just something he was unable to do, so he listened silently as Tsunade once more ran through the slew of events and medical intricacies. When Hiashi spoke next, the surprise in his voice was actually tangible, letting on to just how unnerved he had become. "The baby had two kekkei genkais."

"That's correct."

The head of Hyuuga studied the Hokage for only a moment longer before turning eyes sharply back towards his nephew, clearly awaiting further explanation on that one. Neji took a slow, deep breath. "The baby isn't mine."

While Hanabi stared up at him with wide eyes, Hiashi bit out tersely, "Yes, Neji, I do believe I already surmised as much." His patience was clearly wearing thin. "Would you mind telling me exactly whose the baby was?"

Neji knew this time before even attempting that he wouldn't be able to do any such thing. A weight lifted when someone again came to his rescue, Shikamaru drawling dispassionately, "Actually, I can help you out there."

_~To protect what's precious~_

_Damn the backlog of paperwork, damn the multitudes of shinobi who were completely incapable of understanding a filing system, damn all of his coworkers who seemed to get away with slacking off at their jobs when he never did._

_Shikamaru shoved through some more mission reports, death reports, promotion announcements, position transfers... Why were these all even put together like this in the first place? Couldn't someone have at least had the common decency to put different forms in different piles? Did that really make sense to no one but him? This is why Iruka always went so crazy when he manned the missions desk._

_Cursing when yet another sheet of vengeful paper attacked him, slicing a deep cut right along the pad of his thumb, Shikamaru was about a second away from truly giving up and demanding someone else sort through this mess when a particular file caught his eye._

_Like everyone else in the village, he knew of the man's demise at the hands of the Hyuuga heiress just under a week ago. It was kind of hard not to, what with the Hyuuga ecstatic Hinata had finally done something they considered worthwhile, not to mention any chuunin taking out an S-class missing-nin would have stirred up some talk. The man in question had been in the bingo book for approximately fifteen years and the last living member of his once prestigious clan— a clan with a unique and highly sought after kekkei genkai. He was known to be extremely dangerous, a genjutsu master that would put Kurenai to shame, and few who had ever met with the man had lived to tell the tale. Hinata's victory had been a huge shock to everyone. _

_Curious in spite of himself (and also wondering why the man's file was even in this office to begin with), Shikamaru picked the folder up and sat back in a chair, feet propped up in true relaxation as he began to lazily flip through the pages, brown eyes scanning everything in a bored fashion. Until one particular little footnote caught his eye and he hastily leaned forward to read more closely, nearly falling from his seat. _

_The man had a 'pink' warning. Not only was he marked down as 'extremely hostile', but apparently he was known for raping his female victims before he killed them, likely using his kekkei genkai to subdue them completely._

_Swallowing shakily, Shikamaru set the folder back down, mind abuzz with images of what could have easily happened to Hinata if she'd been less lucky. Images that, while they disturbed him for a short time, he eventually pushed to the back of his mind and forgot about entirely._

_Until a few weeks later he noticed the little Hyuuga's odd behavior._

___~To protect what's precious~_  


Neji had to admit he was impressed by the direct yet respectful way Shikamaru managed to relay the situation. By the time the lazy-nin was done, Hanabi's eyes were absolutely huge and Hiashi, face still a blank mask, had gone paper white. Forcing a curt nod the chuunin's way he said tightly, "Thank you, Nara-san," before his gaze swiveled back once again to the younger Hyuuga. "Were you aware of this?"

Neji licked his lips, pondering his answer very carefully. "I was aware the baby wasn't mine. That's all." And up until that day it really had been.

Hiashi gave him a nod as well, not asking anything further. Hanabi, however, was not so easily placated. "I don't get it! Why didn't she just tell the truth in the first place?" the genin demanded, all too clearly turning her worry for her sister's well-being into slightly irrational anger. "It's not like she did anything wrong!"

"Of course she didn't, Hanabi," Hiashi murmured in a semi-soothing undertone to his youngest. He wasn't foolish enough to believe this kind of information would leave his second daughter unaffected.

"So she wouldn't have gotten in trouble with the clan," Hanabi went on, nodding to herself as if to concrete her point. "In fact, it would have made all this crap with the elders even easier."

Hiashi said nothing about his daughter's language nor her speaking of clan affairs in public with outsiders listening; a testament to how shaken he really was.

"So why all the secrecy?" Hanabi finally concluded her rant. "What was she trying to hide?"

"I think maybe you'd have to ask her that," Shikamaru added his own input softly. "You can when she wakes up."

Amused at how the usually more pessimistic Nara was being so positive when talking to the younger girl, Neji's own head was replaying Hanabi's questions again, wondering at the answer himself. Why _had_ Hinata lied about all of this? What had she gained by keeping it all hushed up, by out and out lying to family and friends time and again (though he supposed _he_ had been the one to actually start the lies). There was nothing disgraceful about being assaulted on a mission, surely she knew that?

No, Neji realized with a frown, Hinata, with her already low self-esteem, may very well _not_ know that, especially if she never bothered to receive the mandatory counseling necessary after such events; but even so, since when had honor and reputation mattered to the Hyuuga heiress? The clan had been calling her a disgrace since she was about a year old, what was different this time?

"_Who is the father of the child?" _

_"I c-c-can't t-tell you." _

_"Hinata-sama, I'm not going to get angry, I don't really care who it is." _

_"I can't, niisan." _

_"I'm just trying to help you." _

_"I really can't. It's n-not about me." _

He shut his eyes with a self-depreciating smirk. Of course, how could he have been so stupid? He didn't need Hinata's confirmation, to him, her actions were suddenly clear as day. The secrets, the lies, none of it had been about her. Not from the very beginning; and he suddenly knew exactly where it was he needed to be.

"Neji?" Tenten inquired softly as he began to step away, Hiashi too preoccupied with Hanabi to pay him any mind.

Looking over his shoulder, Neji gave her a look that said his intentions should be all too obvious. "I'm going to see the baby."

_~To protect what's precious~_

The nursery ward, or whatever it was officially called, was actually quite easy to find. All Neji needed to do was follow the sound of crying infants, and before he knew it, he found himself standing outside a large glass window, allowing him to look in on all of Konoha's newborns. Asking a passing nurse if he was allowed to enter, intrigued by the lack of security present, he did just that, regardless of her answer to the negative. If someone had wanted to murder one of the babies, they'd have no trouble at all, just slip in and snap the poor little thing's neck...

Shaking his head, the jounin navigated stealthily and silently as a cat through the rows of baby beds, eyes scanning the nametags as he went. Reaching the end of the third row back, he stopped, peering down at the sleeping, dark-haired baby inside. _Hyuuga_ the tag read. There was no first name given, so Neji imagined Hinata had never gotten the chance to give it before she... fell asleep.

Staring down at the tiny body the nurses had dressed in pink and wrapped in a yellow blanket, Neji felt a lump rise up in his throat. This baby...

_~To protect what's precious~_

Naruto watched all the interactions around him, silent as the grave for perhaps the first time in his life. This... this was crazy. Everything that had happened that evening was absolutely fucking insane. Hinata-chan was in a coma? The baby wasn't Neji's? She had been raped?

Trying to avoid eye contact with everyone else present, he subtly observed them from his spot against the wall. Sakura was comforting a still teary Ino, Kiba was sitting dejectedly by himself, looking like he was about to cry too, Hinata's father was busy talking in low tones to her sister, Shikamaru looked like he was trying to help the man out for lack of anything better to do, and Lee and Tenten both stood off to the side like him, feeling awkward and in the way. Yeah, this was definitely weird, and he didn't like it.

Thinking maybe it would be better if he just left (what good was him taking up space in the hallway doing anyway?), he looked around for Neji to offer him some overly-cheery condolences and false optimism before he made his exit... only to realize the other boy was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey," he hissed in a stage whisper to the Hyuuga's two teammates. "Hey, where'd Neji go?"

Tenten glanced his way before becoming more interested in watching Neji's relatives again. "He went to see the baby."

Naruto paused, turning the words over in his head. Neji... had gone to see the baby? Hinata's baby? "Uh... are you sure that's a good idea?"

Somehow, this last statement caught the attention of everyone around him. Blushing red under the stares he was suddenly receiving (is this how Hinata felt all the time?), he cleared his throat harshly and elaborated, "I just mean, the baby's the reason Hinata-chan got hurt, right? And... it's also, y'know... that guy's, right? Sooo... d'you really think it's a good idea to leave Neji alone with the baby of the guy that hurt Hinata-chan and then hurt her itself?"

Naruto wasn't entirely sure, but by the way both Ino and Shikamaru took off like they were being chased by death itself, he had a feeling he'd said something smart for once.

* * *

Okay, so... I don't hate this chapter, but I don't like it either. To be honest, I've barely thought about this story at all in quite some time, and then I randomly check my account while I'm sitting here, hungover and miserable, and I realize that as of tomorrow it will be one full year since I've updated. Totally unacceptable. I apologize to all of my loyal readers for the ridiculous wait and hope I'll be forgiven once more. I'll try to get the next one up somewhat promptly, but I'm not about to make promises I don't know I'll keep.

I wanted to again thank everyone who's left reviews during my long absence. An especial thanks to Ducky for the massive, rambling review they left me. Reading it put a smile on my face and got my ass in gear to get this up.


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